


Two shinobis, a fox and the dead

by Jorie2127 (dsha801)



Category: Naruto, The Walking Dead (TV)
Genre: Character Development, Sophia Lives, Violence, and Kurama finds her, kind of gorish, weakened OP characters
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-04-15
Updated: 2017-01-28
Packaged: 2018-06-02 09:17:43
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 10
Words: 61,362
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6560710
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/dsha801/pseuds/Jorie2127
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>They thought it would end by sealing Kaguya, but there's nothing to fear more than the anger of someone who's about to lose. New portals appear and, even if it's too late for her, it's not for the ones in charge of the sealing. Now that they're separated and trapped in a new world, what will they do? They're tired, injured, weak and... Is that a human torso crawling towards him?</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. The fox and the Girl

**Author's Note:**

> A fic without angels in it? And it's mine?! Gosh! Can't believe it either, but the idea got stuck and it came out with more plot than I thought it would, everything considered.  
> First, so you can read peacefully, let me tell you that this story takes about a month from when Sophia separated from the group (not counting the whole bite thing-y). I'm using the timeline from TWD wikia so eighty one days after the outbreak.  
> Btw, this story was born thanks to 'A single flame in a dying world' written by FelixEcho. Amazing fic. Hope you like this story as much as I liked that one.

**Arc I: Lost**

**Chapter 1**

 

Kurama has been inside a jinchuriki for so long, he can't recall with clarity how does it feel to be free. That's why he forces himself to not forget each time he achieved freedom, as few as those times were. The main emotion in each occasion was different, accompanied with others, but the feeling has always been overwhelming and the same every time.

Except the last one.

He remembers the first time, when Mito was too old and her body couldn't take more of his chakra. It only lasted a couple of minutes, the transition between his former jinchuriki and the new one, but he was able to taste the air, watch the light through his own sharper senses and no longer through a human's. The process made it difficult, the seal preventing him of much even if he was struggling, but it was enough for him to feel joy.

Then he was inside another body and the anger; the deep, deep hatred returned.

Kurama's tails were impaled and even if others may scoff because he's made of chakra and thus should not feel the pain—well, it still hurt. Her chakra impaling his own. She didn't let him watch through her eyes, hear through her ears. Everything was muted. He barely catched a few glimpses from now and then. It wasn't until he felt Naruto forming inside her that he realized how long had it really passed. It made him hopeful. He knew the seal weakened when one gave birth and unlike with Mito, he knew for a fact that few seal masters remained.

Uzushiogakure was destroyed. There wasn't a Mito to guide the novices.

So, that gave him his second chance.

He doesn't remember much of that time. He was controlled, after all. But, like the first time, before he went on rampage, he remembers the feeling of air through his fur. The chakra of nature around him. It was overpowering and even if there was dizziness, hatred and some sort of numbness, the freedom he felt as his paws touched the earth was exhilarating.

' _Freedom_ ' his mind screamed.

The third time, was in the middle of war and with his brethren next to him, chains around his neck. The sense of freedom he felt at not being inside a human, even if he respected the brat, was still there. More faint, laced with determination and faith, but still there. Even as he was dragged into forming the Ten Tails. He knew they had a plan. Naruto promised them, so he didn't worry.

So why, he now wonders, if he felt the lightness of freedom in previous times, in different measures and next to other emotions… why he doesn't feel the same now.

He doesn't feel any of it as he's yanked away from Naruto. There's desperation, instead. Desperation and fear and grief and no, stop! It'll kill him!

Freedom doesn't seem to matter. Naruto is moving away even as he extends his arms forwards. But he's weak. The seal deteriorating quick. He can't reach him.

Naruto is looking at the sharingan brat as he also flies away, but finally seems to notice something's missing. He turns towards him and sees him. Panic and pain twists his features. He also starts to extend his hand towards him but he stops midway and chokes. Everything moves slowly as the blood that came from his mouth trails in the air, suspended. And he knows Naruto won't survive the extraction. He almost died the first time. There's no Gaara to catch him. No Sakura or comrades. Not here.

Naruto will die and… And Kurama is not going to let that happen.

The seal is open and broken but there's still a link between them. It's slowly fading but still there. He pushes as much of his chakra as he can, hoping the energy left by his old man is enough to make Naruto survive.

The power that seems to have maintained them together, now looks ready to snap them away. Kurama can see the energy strung tight and by Naruto's face, he guesses he can feel it, too.

"I'll kill you if you die, you brat!" he shouts as the power releases him. He's being launched now, but for a second he sees it.

The smile the brat gives him as a farewell clearly says 'everything will be alright, believe it.' It's bloody and weak, but still filled with the usual determination.

Kurama tries to grin back, even as he's being flung away into who knows where. The portal Kaguya opened to escape before being sealed away is closing. It only managed to affect the three beings closest to her. They sealed her. His siblings and Naruto's friends are going to be okay and he trusts Naruto. If he promises he'll be fine, then he will.

However, the fear and sadness are still there. It doesn't leave. He's worried and that annoys him.

-o-

"I'm so glad I'm a being made of chakra," Kurama mumbles, watching upside down the tip of one tail that managed to come unscathed from the whole ordeal.

After crashing several trees with his body, he has landed with his ass literally on his face. He has tried using his tails as a way to lessen the impact, and it worked, for the first couple of trees. Not so much after the fourth.

Now, he's sore and so fucking tired he could sleep for a couple of months, but there's a rustle of leaves coming from his left that makes his ears twitch so he guesses now is not the time to rest. He flops his body until his paws rest against the ground and goes into a stance prepared to attack. And just that action hurts. He wonders how that's possible. He doesn't even have a body.

From what he has learn of Kaguya's ability, he's most likely in another dimension. The plants looks familiar and the smell of the atmosphere is almost the same. He's glad they didn't end in one of those previous dimensions with drastic temperatures. He's sure he'd survive easily, but Naruto needs food and water. This dimension is similar enough for it to provide what a human needs to survive. Or that's what he hopes.

The thing making the noise finally comes through the bushes and… is that a human torso crawling towards him?

Okay, perhaps not similar as his own.

He sniffs the air and yeah, that half human look-alike is completely dead. Its brain seems to be working though, if that can be considered 'working', of course.

Kurama takes a step forward before stopping mid-action.

Or this dimension has big beings in it, or his height has been reduced. Dramatically.

Crap. Perhaps he has given Naruto a bit too much.

Kurama watches as the being seems lost for a moment, moaning and groaning, looking aimlessly around.

Interesting.

Kicking a rock towards some bushes, Kurama watches as the attention of the being snaps to that direction.

So it reacts to sound then.

He doesn't know if the smell affects them as he doesn't smell at anything, so he has nothing to test it, but he has been inside a hidden village for so long, stealth is something easy to achieve. The noise he made thanks to his fall may cause him problems so he needs to leave. He's weak and doesn't know how strong they are. Don't seem to be much but he's not going to risk it. His body feels ready to fall apart; he really needs to rest.

Because the truth is that he aches all over.

Weird considering he's energy with a conscience.

He has never been truly defeated to the point he has need to be reformed, but he guesses it must feel like how he feels at the moment. His chakra is unstable, as if the briefest moment without concentration is be enough to make him disappear in the air and force him into hibernation.

But that will probably take years. He's quite fond of that blond brat, even if he loathes to admit it, and he's a magnet for troubles. Kurama needs to find him before he screws things over. Or befriends some enemy he shouldn't. He doesn't have those years.

Reaching all the chakra in the air and compressing it closer to himself as to avoid it from leaking out, Kurama shrinks even more. His body's no longer the height of a big horse but of a large dog. Is the only thing he can do to conserve energy until he recovers.

He takes a deep unnecessary breath and launches at the thing crawling, biting its neck and separating its head from the shoulders to then use the last of his energy to run and search for a place where he can rest enough to not end unconscious on the grass. Maybe a cavern or such.

.

Ten minutes later, he finds nothing that could serve as a hideout and he doesn't want to run anymore. He's seen more of those dead walking beings but avoided them as to save energy. Kurama's too tired to fight. However, he's now afraid he'll fall off and succumb into sleep, feels a weight settle onto his body, carrying him down and he can't fight it anymore. He needs to sleep at least for an entire day, possibly two, to gain a fair amount of energy.

He looks up and sees a tree with thick branches a couple meters ahead and yeah, that could work.

-o-

A sudden explosion is what wakes him up. His mind is already alert and in search of danger thanks to the loud 'bang'. He first looks down and is glad to see his position has not been compromised. There are no beings near the tree, but he can still hear some groans near. Naruto had once told him how lucky he's that Kurama can feel presences, that that way he can always warn him whenever an enemy is near. Though not matter how many times he has explained that what he feels are emotions and not the actual presence of humans, as how a tracker can, Naruto never gets it. He grins, that annoying and carefree grin and says 'but we all have emotions'.

Well, for one, those beings that walks, emanating the odor of death, doesn't have emotions. He's able to smell them, if faintly as the air is not in his favor, but he doesn't know their current position.

He sighs. It's easier to detect emotions than—

Kurama turns his head to where the sounds are coming. There's a yell among those grunts. A high pitched and terrified yell. And now that he concentrates, he can sense some emotions. There's fright and hopelessness there.

It is not his intention to come closer, his body still hurts and one look at the sky makes him know it hasn't been that long since he has fallen asleep; give it or take a few hours. But the sounds are near and he jumps onto another branch just in time to see a young girl with dark blond hair and blue shirt running away from those things. She's moving slowly, her breaths are heavy and there's a stuffed doll on the crook of her arm while the other holds some metal object which she tries to grab with a damaged hand. She aims at one near her and the loud 'bang' is there again, echoing loudly in the forest. Her shoulders sags with the force of the weapon and it escapes her hands next to the doll. She whimpers and looks at the side to see more of those beings behind her.

Kurama sees her blue eyes and they are the wrong shade, like her hair, but he senses a familiar determination and bravery. They're laced with fear and hopelessness instead of stubbornness and faith—in himself, in his comrades, in Kurama—, but is similar enough for him to jump and run. He no longer sees the young girl who just fell with tears staining her cheeks, monsters moving closer; he sees a young Naruto crying and he feels guilt.

Kurama attacks. He doesn't have the energy for a bijudama so he uses sharp claws and bites at everyone near until he's covered with coagulated blood and pieces of skin. He hobbles as he turns, sees the wide eyes directed at him. They're blue and that's enough for him to use what little energy he has to move forward and fall in front of the trembling human, close to her thin legs.

"Let me sleep for a while now, brat," he murmurs before falling asleep.

-o-

The thing about waking up when one's gotten used to being inside another being is that… well, it's strange, period. Not in the sense of it being uncomfortable, though it kind of is. He has been sealed almost a century. Never waking up to feel the real world around him. Most would think it'd be incredible. Is not. It's disconcerting.

Perhaps it feels like that because Naruto's chakra and his own had been so close that they've almost merged in the war. And even if it only lasted a couple of days, he's now used to the feeling of Naruto's calm chakra mixed to his own. The seal has been open for not long but it has been enough for him to get used to it. Heavy and powerful, sometimes too excited and full of many emotions, but even so, always calm. Reassuring in the way a warm coat would help when it's cold.

Kurama would never admit it out loud though.

In short, even if waking up without that feeling in a place he doesn't recognize with the scent of blood and dust thick in the air shouldn't be enough to left him aghast, it still leaves a sense of discomfort.

He hasn't got the chance to really think of the abrupt change he experienced when leaving his jinchuriki. Not giving him time to adjust. So… that gives him a good reason to momentarily freak out right?

It's not befitting of the most powerful of the tailed beasts, but there's no one to see him as he stands up only to fall, his paws covered with some cloth that seem to work as shoes. His face doesn't reach the ground but it's only thanks to some thing around his snout that makes him unable to open his mouth as he wants. He can't reach it with his paws because of the stupid shoes.

Just peachy.

"You're up," a voice murmurs, surprise echoing the soft voice.

Kurama looks up. The girl he remembers helping because of her similarities with a younger Naruto is standing behind a doorframe and looking cautiously at him. And now that he looks at her this close, he can notice that the similarities he found between her and his host are almost nonexistent.

He sighs. Yeah, he's losing it.

Looking down at the cloth tied with simple dirt laces around his ankles and the fact he can't sense no one near (Well, no one alive), he assumes the girl is the one who placed them on him.

It may be because of how his previous hosts treated him, but it doesn't affect him as it once would. They're easy to ignore.

He knows he should demand to be set free of these contraptions, but he has seen Naruto interact with kids to know that doing that will most likely scare her and then what will he do? He doesn't have the power to reduce them to ashes. At least not yet, if the soreness and lethargy he feels are something to go by.

He hates this.

"What's your name?" he stars, trying to not put too much gruff in his voice to make it less menacing.

Considering she hides behind the wall, it doesn't work.

Heavy breathing echoes in the house and Kurama decides to use the time to assess his surroundings while waiting for the girl to calm down.

The room where he's in is taller than what he has seen before in the Elemental Nation. He assumes that the beings in this world are taller than in his then. That would probably piss Naruto off as he has always leaned to the shorter side.

There's a layer of dust in everything and it looks as if whoever who lived there escaped hastily, only grabbing the essentials. That by itself says much about the situation this world lives in. Considering the 'things' that he has seen he can guess the cause easily enough.

"You can talk?"

Kurama directs his gaze to the girl peeking from the doorframe.

"I just did, didn't I?"

She bites her lips. "I thought it was my imagination."

That means that there aren't talking animals in this world then. He's going to have to be silent from now on. It's not wise to attract attention to himself.

"My name's Sophia."

Half of her body is now visible and Kurama senses her fear withdrawing, giving away to curiosity.

Kids.

"I'm—"

Kurama blinks. He has never introduced himself to anyone but Naruto before. And after they teamed up, the one introducing him as his partner and a member of Konoha was Naruto. Kurama doesn't like how his name was easily given to others but Naruto always said 'If they are trusting you with their lives, trust them with your name' and that was it. He let him be but never had to give it. And he won't. Not to a kid who he doesn't know.

"Call me Nine," he finally answers. "So, you were the one who put me these… shoes?" After receiving a nod he adds, "Why?"

"You, um, bit the walkers. I thought you were infected. You only need to bite or scratch someone to infect them."

The kid's smart, he'll give her that.

"There's something else I need to know that they're infected? What are they?"

"You don't know?"

"I'm not from here."

"Uhm, well, it starts with the bite and then they get sick until they… die. Then they come back." She hesitates but it only takes her a second for her to walk forward until he can see her entirely. "I was with my mom and dad when they appeared a couple of months ago. We were with a group but I got separated and now I'm…"

She bites her lower lip and blinks quickly but she doesn't continue. He hasn't interacted with many humans and the only one he can call friend is the kind that bounces from sadness to happy determination with Kurama just saying 'Are you going to give up then?' in a mocking tone. Somehow he doesn't think it'll work with her.

It's not as if he cares either, so why bother?

"Now that we've concluded that I'm not infected, mind if you give me a hand? This thing bruises."

He points his snout with a paw and that makes her giggle. She walks towards him nervously and it only takes her a few moments to free him.

"I didn't know foxes could be this big."

He scoffs. "I was bigger. You were probably the same height my eye."

"Really? What happened then?"

"An idiotic friend."

It's obvious she wants to ask for more, but she goes quiet as she sits on the floor in front of him. It's unlike Naruto when he was younger. He'd have pestered him annoyingly until they had a heart to heart.

He sighs tiredly and stands in an attempt to search something to clean the blood from his fur because he is not going to use his tongue to clean himself.

As he walks he notices that there's an open can next to her. It smells of food. She catches his line of sight and offers timidly the can at him. "Want some?"

The food smells okay but he doesn't need it. Kurama appreciates the gesture, though. It's obvious that there isn't much food and she's offering him what little she has.

"You're the one who needs to eat, brat. You're too thin."

"…Thanks." She looks down at her food and starts eating. Kurama has already found a bigger cloth to clean himself when she asks, "What are you?"

He doesn't think 'biju' will answer her questions. 'Demonic entity' probably has the same meaning that has in the elemental nations. So he only says he's a 'fox spirit'.

It rubs him the wrong way but after mentioning how he's the strongest of all the spirits, it dwells.

"So how much this… thing has affected humanity? Is there some sort of order? Is someone dealing with the problem or is everything fucked?"

The girl frowns, clenching her can tighter. She explains what she knows. Tells him about the police and military. Everything the scientist her former group met explained to them and what she understood from it.

So… apparently this world is fucked.

Hopefully he can find Naruto quickly and they can search for a way to return. Knowing him, he'll try to help this world and fix it if he finds how fucked they are.

Thought that Uchiha brat was with them, too. Naruto will want to find him, too. And Naruto is too much of a trouble magnet to avoid people for long. He's going to find the truth and that means they're going to stay for some time.

Great.

Looking mournfully at the state of his fur and the cloths that are already dirty, he glances at the kitchen. "Is the water working?"

She shakes her head. "There's a small lake not far away from where you found me. There are lots of walkers near, though."

He gives a tentative lick to the back of his paw before scrunching his nose in distaste. "I need to go there. I take pride on my fur, I can't leave it in this state."

"Oh."

He's still weak but it seems he has sleep at least a day. It's not enough to recover but it is to avoid those walkers. They can't transform him, anyways. Is not like he has an actual body to react to whatever infection they have. He can just go to that lake, clean himself, then walk on top of it until those beings are no longer near and he can search for a place to rest for some time, safe enough so Naruto can find him. The brat may be weak, like him, but he has most of his chakra in him so he'll be able to recover faster, even if he has just suffered through a biju extraction.

He's going to have enough chakra in a couple of weeks to attempt sage mode and search for him. Now he only hopes he will be able to remember he can use it.

"I won't see you then, Nine?"

Kurama is already ready to just turn around and walk away but Sophie's question stops him. He looks at her direction and sees her legs draw to her chest, arms hugging them protectively. Her chin is on top of her knees Kurama doesn't need to be able to sense emotions to know she's afraid and lonely.

Again, he no longer sees her. He sees a boy sitting on a swing, watching how parents hug their children as they take them home, ignoring him, whispering harsh words.

Her eyes and hair are a darker shade, her skin is pale and not tan, but…

"You can go with me if you want, brat. We can look out for your group while I wait for my friend. If we find him first and he gets to know you, he'll want to search for your group anyways so it's better to start now."

Looking up, eyes widen in hope. "Really?"

"Yeah. I'm weak now tough, so we better search for a place where we can stay and I can rest."

She stands up quickly and smiles.

Kurama sighs. He blames his weakness with blue eyed, blond haired brats on Naruto.

* * *

Far away from the place Kurama is, a man checks the pulse of teenager laid on a bed.

"Is amazing how stable he is. He fell from really high but there are only a couple of wounds on him caused from it."

"Do you think it was from a helicopter or an airplane he fell from?" asks another man, charisma and an air of power giving him the air of the one in charge.

"Hard to guess. I ain't saw anythin' on the sky," says a gruff man with a false hand. "Ye know what that purple thin' was?"

The doctor looks at him with apprehension but answers anyways. "No. But I didn't saw it, so I can't guess its origin either, you said it disappeared as soon as the guys went to where he fell?"

"Yeah. Kinda looked like bones. Weird shit."

"Just try to get as much info as you can from him. I want to know what that purple energy was. Perhaps the military is working in some weapon. If we can get it, it'll be beneficial to us."

"What? But I don't have the equipment to do any throughout research. It'll be impossible. Our safest bet would be to ask him…" he trails off, glancing at the young, pale teenager laid on the bed. He couldn't be more than eighteen.

"If the lil doc can't, do we kill him, Governor?"

The Governor sighs and shakes his head sadly. The doctor sees this action and offers weakly: "He's just a kid."

"A kid that fell from who knows where and still kicks it. That's crazy."

"I've to agree with Merle here. We can't have him. He'll destroy the peace we've fought hard to maintain."

He nods towards Merle and he smiles with his own, far too pleased smile as he takes a knife from the back of his pants. He's taking momentum so the weapon can get all the way down to the brain when the boy's eyes open, one red eye and another purple making its appearance.

Everything occurs fast from that point.


	2. The exhausted Uchiha

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> He isn't awake yet, mind still foggy from pain and lack of rest, but adrenaline is already flowing through his system. His eyes are open so the sharingan is quick to react and process the information he sees but his still clouded brain can't quite comprehend. He lets years of reflexes do his bidding and grabs the arm of the person holding the knife, leg moving to kick a stomach with all the strength he can muster even if his ribs protest. His body attacks without holding back.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The weird about writing this is that this one is in present tense wile my other fics are not. Going from them to this one is kind of hard.

Civilians think ninjas don't sleep. Or that they do in a bizarre way, with one eye closed and the other open, for a lack of a better simile. They hear stories of assailants moving closer, attempting to kill one ninja in what they thought was their moment of vulnerability. However, the civilians think, _they're_ ninja, so they aren't at risk. In their minds, before the no-name enemy can reach its sleeping victim, the sixth sense that _all_ ninja have makes them wake up completely and immediately. As a result, they can stop its attacker with flashy movements so afterwards they can give a monologue of _'ha! You thought you could trick a ninja!_ ' and then it's over.

The truth is not as fantastic as that. Or at least, not with all ninjas.

They don't have a sixth sense though some call it like that. The thing is, when one is used to death, battles and ill intent being thrown in daily basis as if it was nothing (and in most cases, is nothing), your subconscious evolves in a way that can recognize it without trouble. It knows the feeling and that's where half of reflexes come from: experience; the other half being brought by old, plain training.

One won't suddenly wake up and go all ninja if they're just some genin wet behind the ears who hasn't seen battle yet.

Coincidentally, Sasuke is not one of them. His training with Orochimaru made sure he was always attentive of his surroundings, without caring if one was up or sleep. That's how, even if he's unconscious and hurts all over, he still can detect ill intent.

 _Someone's trying to kill you,_ his mind screams.

He isn't awake yet, mind still foggy from pain and lack of rest, but adrenaline is already flowing through his system. His eyes are open so the sharingan is quick to react and process the information he sees but his still clouded brain can't quite comprehend. He lets years of reflexes do his bidding and grabs the arm of the person holding the knife, leg moving to kick a stomach with all the strength he can muster even if his ribs protest. His body attacks without holding back.

The result is the person now doubled over on the ground. The knife is now in his hand.

Another person scrambles backwards, leaking fear all over the place and Sasuke, who is now standing, uses the back of the knife against his nose before sliding a foot under the person so it falls to the ground, too. There's another who is pulling some sort of weapon from their waistband, but he stops the action mid way, quickly moving behind. One arm gripping the weapon away from them while he points the knife to the neck.

It's over in less than ten seconds and is not until pain shots through his left arm, the one not holding the knife, that he wakes up completely.

He swears he's able to hear his bones grinding against each other alongside his loud heartbeat and he holds a wince back. Definitely something cracked there.

"…Thought ye said he wasn't going to stand up for a couple more days, doc," a man on the floor wheezes. He still seems to be trying to catch his breath from the kick.

The supposed doctor holds his own nose to check the damage; there are tears forming in his eyes from the pain, but he still manages to answer, "He's purple all over and has bruised ribs. His arm is not supposed to be working either, for crying out loud!"

So he was right about the sharp pain on his arm then.

"Young man, it'll be best if we sit and discuss. You don't want to do something you'll come to regret later," says the one in front of him nodding slightly to the knife on his neck.

Sasuke would scoff, but it's beneath him. He has the situation in control, he's not the one who will lose here.

"Who are you?" he asks calmly. His memory is vague and only remembers sealing Kaguya and then going through an open portal, his hand trying to reach Naruto before looking to the side to see a mass of red energy, who most likely was the Kyuubi, and then being thrown away from the blond.

One thing he's sure: Somehow it's Naruto's fault.

"May we known the name of our kidnapper first?" At Sasuke's pointed glare, he continues, "You're in Woodbury, young man. A nice haven from the horrors of the outside. We're secured here and no monster can reach us. Not even if they're inside. There are more than just us, _boy_. We protect our people and if you think you'll be able to walk away harmlessly from here, you're sorely mistaken."

There's confidence in the man, an arrogance that rubs him the wrong way, but if his guess is right and he's in another dimension, he needs information. He doesn't know how this world works and what's happening. What are these monsters the man mentioned? Are they truly powerful? He needs a secured place to heal his wounds and rest, but most of all, he needs the knowledge to survive.

Pressing the knife a little tighter to the neck and letting some of killing intent leak, Sasuke whispers, "I don't think so."

The men go tense, sweat starts forming on their foreheads and there's palpable fear in the air.

Sasuke is injured, tired, and possibly a step away from chakra exhaustion. Yet, his mind is sharp; honed-battle experience still intact. His sharingan can see their lack of training and strength; his rinnegan, their small amount of chakra. Even less than a civilian in his world would have but a sufficient amount to live. They don't even pose a threat to a _genin_.

"This is what we're going to do. You'll answer my questions and return my katana. You'll give me a place to sleep, food enough for a meal and medical supply. If you do that, I'll leave your people alone and don't kill you all."

The doctor looks up at him in protest and their eyes lock. His gaze widens with horror and awe. "What are you?" he whispers.

The man in his grip turns slightly in an attempt to catch what the other saw, the same happening with the one kneeling on the floor and Sasuke lets them. Fear will work easier to make them comply. He increases barely the killing intent just when they see his face. He narrows his eyes but the action doesn't make them less visible—it doesn't lessen their power. They stiffen, realization coming at them like a physical blow. They now know how much above their pay grade the situation has turned.

Sasuke smirks. "Let's start."

* * *

It still takes some light pushing before he obtains his answers without letting them know how much he doesn't actually know. If there's one thing he learned from his time with Orochimaru is the value of knowledge. He knows its power. And if thanks to well-used words they assume he knows more than them, the better for him.

Now he only has to maintain that balance.

The doctor Milton, after making sure his nose is fixed and that Sasuke's finished retrieving all the weapons they have, goes to dress his wounds. Apparently, only one was already dressed, though, thanks to his sudden movements, the gash on his back made by his own blade opened. He doesn't think he could be able to change the bandages from that wound without help. Jutsus wouldn't be of any help with his current levels of chakra either.

A simple bunshin would be tough enough; the kage bunshin is currently nigh impossible.

"It's kind of amazing how you don't even react." Sasuke glances at the doctor working on his back and raises an eyebrow. At seeing his expression, the doctor adds, "I'm not this kind of doctor, the one that stitched your back was another one and in the short time since this happened, I've just learned basic kit aid like all. I'm not really good and I'm sure I'm making more mistakes than not. Are you sure you don't want to have her check this?"

Sasuke holds his smirk. In short, they've their own doctor, a female one. They're a lot of people or the 'event' they've been talking about happened not so long ago. And Milton is some kind of researcher like Orochimaru if he's the one in charge of looking into how he survived the fall. The doctor and the gruff man are better at making skip information than their leader.

He's gained much just by letting them talk but never lets it show, he simply answers, "Just make sure I won't bleed out."

He doesn't know if he'll have to fight again once outside, though something tells him he will. Even so, it's better to take precautions.

"And what do you plan to do once outside and after we've complied your demands, young man? You've us on the palm of _your_ hand. Will you _demand_ for our weapons? Supplies, all our food? Do you plan to _kill_ _us_ _all_? _Kidnaping_ would only get you so far, after all."

The way he changes the tone of certain key words amuses him. He's trying to make him slip. Sasuke doesn't know much about this world but it doesn't seem like much if they use such weak psychological tactic on him. Or perhaps is his age? Do they think he'll doubt his actions because of what they assume is a rebel act from a teenager?

He would normally ignore him but... He glances at the weapon he retrieved from the Governor, the one that appears to frighten them more than the knife, before looking at the man. "How long has this place existed?"

The Governor Philip Blake frowns but answers anyway. "Since this disaster started. Milton must know the exact date."

"Eighth five days and I've finished. Someone'll have to set your arm though. It's already looking bad."

And he's right, the skin is swollen and red. He only knows basic medic jutsu, the kind that can fix his bruised ribs but not his broken arm. It'll be enough to make the pain go away once the bone is set and the fever starts. He still needs that doctor, though.

"You mentioned a doctor. I'll have her see it. The _Governor_ can then guide me to what will be my place."

"Thar a couple of empty houses. Or do ye have somethin' in mind already? Whatcha gonna want? A mansion, yer highness?"

Merle scoffs when he isn't able to get a raise of annoyance from him. Sasuke ignores him as he continues, "The smallest one will do. I just need a place to sleep and recover. It'd be preferable if it's far from your people."

"Yes, I think we've a one floor house close to the borders. Small but hopefully enough for our young guest," the Governor says with a bland smile.

Sasuke nods and stands up, motioning the others to go in front of him and guide him to the exit. The room is empty except but an older man sleeping at the corner. He doesn't spare him a glance as he moves, though he grabs few pens he finds and shoves them into the pockets of the pants they gave him. The gun is still in his good hand, but the knife is in the pocket of the pants they gave him. He quickly changes their position. It's better to use something he already knows than fumble with something new and unknown.

When the Governor's hand is touching the door's handle, he turns to smile at him. "I hope you like Woodbury."

It's no surprise when he sees a man pushing the Governor away to punch him as soon as their leader opens the door, perhaps in an attempt to separate him and give the others standing near a good shot. Their weapons are slightly lowered, clearly not expecting much from an injured teenager, and that's going to be their downfall. Sasuke is not going to let someone as unprepared as them to get the upper hand.

He locks eyes with the man who grabbed the Governor and he uses his surprise at seeing his eyes to his advantage. There are only two sounds from the missing shots before they stop as Sasuke gives a good kick on his shin and grabs their leader again to use him as shield. He takes a moment to check the position of his attackers before he starts counter attacking.

This time, he's the one shoving the Governor towards the bigger man on his right, making both fall. He runs towards the one nearest and doesn't give her a chance to shot. A knee goes to the hand of one while he shoves the back of his knife onto his temple. A man turns but he has his elbow already on his face. A kick to one and a knee in the stomach of another takes two more. He uses what he can to immobilize most and knock out the others without hurting his own injuries. Their weapons being thrown away towards the door where he came from.

He merges some chakra into the pens he found and that's enough to use against the ones who are too far away. His chakra nature is not wind but he still can pour some of his dwelling chakra into objects before they explode. The snipers only receive small cuts on hands and arms to make them throw their weapons. He can't kill them yet and give them more leverage for them to use rash actions against him when he's going to use the place as a base of sorts until he recovers.

When he finishes, he has the Governor again in his hold. Merle is pissed from the ground where he is, holding his missing hand close. The doctor hasn't moved from his spot since the fight started.

Sasuke tightens the pressure of the knife against the Governor's neck while he tries to clear the spots in his vision. There are moans of pain around and Sasuke can see a couple of people looking behind windows, afraid, but he ignores it all as he tries to not sway on his feet and show how much the fight has affected him.

He takes a deep breath, knowing the only thing keeping him awake is his Rinnegan that makes what little Sage's chakra he has flow through his system. Once he cancels it, he'll be unconscious for a couple days at least and with sore muscles for more than a few weeks, if his tenketsu points recovers from the strain, that's it.

He needs to continue then and stop it quickly. He can't stop now.

"Where's the doctor you mentioned?" he pants, his voice coming stronger than he actually is, even as he feels the blood pouring from his eyes.

The Governor's face is red with anger, posture stiff as he walks, not even once glancing at the men on the floor.

* * *

"I've never seen or known eyes like yours existed."

Sasuke doesn't answer, but he's faintly surprised she hasn't asked about the blood coming from said eyes yet, or why he uses a small bowl to contain it instead of a handkerchief to clean it.

"It's ready?" he asks when she takes a step back to look at her work. She used some wood so the bone would be keep firm in place, mentioning how lucky he is that the broken bone was an easy one to deal with.

Nodding, Dr. Stevens helps him put a simple loose shirt, making sure to cut the part where the cloth meets his broken arm. She moves to button it, but Sasuke stops her; it'll be easier to check his bandages if it's open.

She hesitates but chooses to ignore it as another one of his quirks. "You're a strong young man if you could deal with the process without anesthesia. We don't have much of it but you could have… asked for it."

The word 'demand' is obviously on the tip of her tongue but she doesn't say it, choosing to glance at the Governor leaning against a wall instead. She shakes her head before turning at him with a familiar small stern face that gives her a motherly look around her that makes him frown and now Sasuke wants to leave. He stands up again and this time it's hard to stay that way. He grabs the chair he was sitting on and takes a shaky breath while waiting for the room to stop moving.

"You should take these. We've a few stashed so one less won't do much for now."

He looks up to see what she's talking about and in a way to dissuade the feeling of throwing up when he sees bags with blood inside a freezer behind her. He points at them. "Give me one of those."

Dr. Stevens knows he's a step away from blood loss but doesn't ask why not make the transfusion right then. Why not ask for needles and other implements. Sasuke sees those questions on her face and more. He raises an eyebrow. She scowls at him and gives him a bag. Sasukes's muscles clenches as he grabs it but at least his hand doesn't tremble as they want.

"But take this, too."

It's then he notices the cane she's holding. He frowns, ready to refuse them, but the doctor points at his legs; they're trembling. Sasuke grimaces but takes it. He gives it a few tries with his good hand, doing some stances he's done before with his sword, not needing the Governor to think he's now able to deal with him, before he lowers it to the ground and starts to walk.

"Let's go," he says when he notices the Governor is still behind him. He doesn't turn, knowing the simple movement will be enough to make him dizzy. Sasuke just clenches his grip on the cane a little tighter and waits two seconds before moving forward. After all, he doesn't have more energy to spend in waiting.

* * *

Once he's sure there's no one inside the small house the man guided him—or near—Sasuke closes the door on the Governor's face. He doesn't check the windows or bothers to lock the door. Sasuke needs a place to let himself fall unconscious and he _needs_ _it_ _now_.

He doesn't longer care if his movements aren't graceful as he goes to the kitchen and opens every door he finds. The tap of the cane against the ground is loud as he grabs everything that's essential. Sasuke's not naïve. He knows it won't take long for the Governor's people to come in. From what he heard, all the houses have some canned food and other things that civilians shrug as unimportant. He grabs it all and goes to the only bedroom there and is glad that there's only a window inside.

He glances at the big closet and lets a relieved breath escape his breath. _That'll do_.

Adrenaline is what's currently making him able to move so he takes advantage of it until the last drop. Leaving all the items on the bed, he goes to shove the closet in front of the only window with gobbling legs and a throbbing headache. He then pours the blood's bag into the bowl where there is some of his own already in it, some of the red substance falling into the sheets. He mixes it with a finger full of the last of his chakra and starts making seals on the door and walls.

He's no seal master but he knows how to guard a place so only high jounin level can enter. And that's more than enough to make the walls stronger. Thanks to his natural affinity being lighting, he can electrify the seals so the ones trying to go in will end electrocuted without needing to pour more chakra in them.

Finishing the bedroom, he goes to the bathroom and does the same. He then returns to the room and grabs pillows and sheets, some food and a couple of empty glasses from the bed and places them some inside the tub, others on top of the toilet seat. He places the cane next to it.

Taking a deep, slightly anxious breath, Sasuke goes inside the tub and lays there for a long time, tears he can't stop fall from his eyes as he ignores the cold, hard surface and lets the small amount of chakra in his eyes recede.

The moment his eyes turn to their usual black, it's as if a switch has flipped on and all the pain he has previously ignored comes back with vengeance. He tries to close his eyes but it doesn't stop the onset of full body tremors that wrack his frame. Muscles strung tight as bow strings scream as they seize for long seconds until something slaps into his insides and his mind goes blank.


	3. Innocence

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "Are you sure is this way?"  
> Kurama stops and lifts his head up to glare at the young girl standing next to him. "Kid, I'm lowering myself to follow this scent. Don't question me and remind me I'm acting like a mutt."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Give me love and kudos and comments :c  
> Feed my lazy muse~

The similarities he finds between the Elemental Nations and this new world are too many for his liking. It's not much, not noticeable—but still _there_. The technology this world has is superior. Or that's what he gets from the explanations the girl, Sophia, tells him about whatever artifact they stumble. In three days he's learned about from cars and helicopters to coffee machines. Guns and tanks are new but not surprising. These humans cannot use chakra to fight, it's obvious they'll find something to harm each other. Terrifying weapons, not because they're more deadly. They offer detachment to the attacker, being able to kill someone at distance without need of hard training. Battle to death doesn't seem to exist here. Battles for death do.

Kurama hates this world more than his own. It disgusts him.

Perhaps he's lucky he's met this girl. He obviously needs the knowledge to understand this world, to try and search a way out. The language is not different but the writing of it is. That alone would be detrimental to fish for some more information. He's no Naruto. He doesn't have the charisma to gain other's people trust so they can aid him. He's not him and doesn't want to. He knows torture is his only option, but… Naruto kind of screwed him over. With his words of friendship and easy smiles—his trust on him.

That smile before they separated, he knows it was for his sake. Naruto's actions before being throw away to who knows where meant to comfort Kurama. And he doesn't want to torture or seriously hurt humans that don't deserve it because for some stupid, idiotic reason he doesn't want to let Naruto's faith on him down. He doesn't want that bright, warm, trusting smile, one that has been directed at _him_ , turn into disappointment.

Not that he'd ever say it aloud. Or ever.

So… he really has been fortunate to have met Sophia first in this world. He hates humans, he really does, no matter which world they're from. He doesn't think he'd be able to remain civil with one. Or want to talk with one. However, kids are 'cleaner' in a way. Still innocent and no so full with those other darker human qualities. Dealing with kids it's easier and not only because information is obtained faster from them.

Light manipulation isn't recognized in their naïve minds after all.

On the other hand, sometimes they're too innocent, too indifferent from the horrors of the world because their eyes choose to ignore even when they're surrounded in crap. Naruto was like that once. Trying to protect his innocence with smiles and loud proclamations from the glares and harsh words of the civilians. But he did know. Oh, that he did. He tried to ignore it but it was impossible. He needed a wake up call and his came in the form of a ramen vendor giving him free food for him to realize what could be, what he wanted to obtain. Then came his goal. His stubbornness did everything else.

This girl has a goal. What she needs now is her own wake up call. Naruto's was gentleness, what will be hers?

"Can we rest? I'm—I'm hungry."

Kurama glances at the little girl jogging next to him. Her face is flushed as she pants heavily, speed slowly weakening with every step she takes. Her shirt has wet spots in some parts and her arms are full of scraps from each time they had to go through bushes.

They've been keeping a steady pace for about two hours because of the walkers they've seen near the lake, choosing to evade that horde completely and instead surround it. They've found some houses near and grabbed everything useful. Unfortunately for Sophia, the places are already empty and food is scarce everywhere they've been.

Kids are easy to obtain information from but that doesn't make them easier to deal with. They're weaker.

He stops and the girl does the same immediately, throwing herself to the ground as she tries to recover her breath. Her stomach rumbles, as it has been doing the past half an hour. Understandable considering her last food has been some cookies eight hours ago. Seeing her sweaty and tired makes Kurama decide to take some pity on her and help her. They've rested a day and have been on the move together for two days, mostly because of her as the lake wasn't that far. It's true she hasn't whined at all until now and he _has_ learned a lot about this world's culture and what's actually happening thanks to her. Maybe he can throw her a bone now.

Positive reinforcement and all that. The one eyed teacher of Naruto did the same to train his ninken, it should work.

Turning his head around the clearing they stopped, Kurama sniffs the air for a couple of seconds.

"What are you doing, Nine?"

Kurama glances at her. "Stay here. I'll return shortly."

"There's no walker near?"

"No."

"Okay then. I'll wait." Her previous sitting position dissolves with her words and she falls again to the ground. "Take care."

Kurama snorts and starts running. She's not worried anymore in the way she was the first time he told her he was going to disappear for a couple of hours, so it's an improvement. He still needs to know more than what a kid can offer and also replenish his chakra. He's no Sage; he hasn't a body for it to work for him, but he can still retrieve some energy from the nature itself. This world is tainted from war and pollution but he can draw bits of the earth's power and turn it into something he can use. As his chakra is still dangerous for others without Naruto to cleanse it, he needs a bit of space to work.

It's harder to do it while conscious but until he doesn't have some secured base he won't be able to sleep and recover. He can only meditate.

This time he's not going off for those reasons though. He sniffs the air once more and there's a rustle of leaves above him.

_Got you._

He's a predator. The one in top of the food chain. Fight against a goddess is hard. Capture a simple animal too eat? Easy.

Now he only has to remember what little survival classes Kushina and Naruto took in the Academy. It's going to be hard because they're both knuckleheads that didn't pay too much attention.

* * *

"You want me to—what?"

Human's kids are harder to work with than he thought.

"You found that pocket knife, _remember_? You can skin the squirrel using that. The entrails will be harder to reach but still possible. The weather's getting colder so it'll last. "

The girl—The _brat_ , because that's what she's now, she keeps giving him an horrified look as her eyes don't move away from the two squirrels with the necks bend in weird positions. Her head is slowly shaking, as if to erase what she's seeing in front of her. Kurama growls. His body tenses as he pushes down the killing intent. She looks so similar but she's _so_ _weak_. It disgusts him someone with _his_ traits can be this weak minded being. He doesn't like it. He wants to erase the evidence of it.

His tail darts forwards to grab the girl's right arm. She startles at first, her body leaning back and her doll falling to the ground, but blue eyes, turned bluer because of the unshed tears, looks directly into his red eyes. They anger him at the same time they manage to calm him down and he snarls, claws biting into the soft ground as he lets his temper recede, turning it into annoyance.

"Listen to me, brat. The world you knew is _gone_. You're alone now and you'll need to do and learn things you don't like. I won't deal with someone who can even survive, so tell me: Do you want to find your group?"

A couple of birds sing from upwards as the girl's lips tremble, unaware of what happens in the same way the girls wants to keep being. Her eyes become watery and she clutches the grip on her doll once but he doesn't back down. His tail's grip tightens around her arm and Kurama wants to curse his lack of power because he cannot turn his paws into hands with opposable thumbs right now to use instead of his tail.

"Do you want to find your group?" he growls.

Her head bobs slowly, shakily, a couple of tears falling down her cheeks.

"Yes," she chokes but it's too weak for his liking.

He can wait for her wake up call, or he can make one.

Kurama grabs the pocketknife from the ground where it fell and places it in front of her. He doesn't give her the squirrels yet. He leaves them next to him and then flexes his muscles and jumps. It's easy to move from branch to branch, painful but easy.

One second he's up; the next he's on the ground, with her, small bird's wing between his fangs.

Kurama puts the flailing bird at her feet. The animal tries to fly but the broken wing makes him unable to do so.

"This will be your food. Kill it."

The girl openly sobs, eyes not looking at the struggling bird whose panicked sounds are getting louder with each movement it makes.

"It's going to attract walkers if you don't do it. _Show me how much you want to survive_."

A trembling hand grabs the knife while the other hovers uncertain close to the bird.

"I'm sorry, I'm so sorry," she murmurs when she grabs the bird. It screams louder, head moving to ever direction it can but the knife is close to its neck and that stops some movements. She takes a shaky breath in and her head turns slightly away, eyes not daring to see what she's going on in front of her.

"Don't look away. It's a life you're taking. Don't you _dare_ to ignore it and shrug it off just to protect yourself."

A whimper escapes her lips and he can see it in her eyes; the innocence leaving. She's realizing, truly now, what this world entails. Reality is crashing at her and she no longer has someone that will pat her head and tell her everything will be alright.

She gags after and cries for what she's lost but Kurama is proud. He remembers Naruto's first kill in his training trip, the catatonic state he was in for a couple minutes before he looked at Jiraya and said, "I want to change it. I'll change this world," choosing to face reality and embrace his innocence and naïve idealism.

Sophia hasn't killed a human but this will mark her, he's sure.

What's going to happen to her next, he wonders. She's no Naruto, he doesn't expect her to do and say the same, but he's decided to accompany her and he isn't going to let someone that physically similar to him be weak.

"Now, I'll teach how to skin a squirrel and cook a bird."

She timidly nods and stands up from where she threw up to move closer. She notices her doll on the ground, the little arm bloody because of the bird's blood, and hesitates. Her arm extends momentarily before her muscles tense and she retreats the limb. She glances at him but he's simply observing her actions without commenting. Her lips thin and a frown forms before Sophia leans down to grab her doll.

_Good girl._

* * *

"You can walk on water?" she asks, her words filled with wonder.

Kurama glances from where he's on top of the water. This is the first time in three hours she has spoken a sentence. When he was guiding him in how to skin an animal and how to cook it she only gave monosyllables as an answer. Not even asking how he managed to lit a fire without help.

"Where I come from, people can do this. They can also walk on solid vertical surface."

"Everyone?"

"Just the warriors. They've all kind of different abilities and powers. Ones stronger than others."

"And that friend you mentioned about, is he strong?"

He stops cleaning his fur and considers if telling her more will be counterproductive or not. She's a kid, that's right, but she'll grow. He looks at her and marvels at how strong a child can be. Bags are under her eyes and she's afraid, scared, but also determined.

"One of the strongest."

"Really? He must be pretty cool, then."

Kurama snorts. "He's an idiotic goof and a loudmouth. An over confident stubborn. The kind that goes face first into a problem without thinking first. He must be probably whining about food right now. He's a glutton."

_But he's also kind and warm, with an unwavering will and fierce loyalty even if one doesn't deserve it. He can change others; make others want to change and be better._

"That doesn't sound too cool. How's he like?"

"You share similar traits, actually. He has blond hair and blue eyes, too. His skin's much tanner though. He also has some birthmarks that look like whiskers. And an awful fashion sense. He loves too much the color orange."

He submerges entirely into the water before leaving it. He shakes his body next to Sophia and she scrunches he nose.

"Maybe that's why he's friends with you then. You're all orange."

Her words aren't meant to hurt, he can't sense any malice coming from her, just curiosity. They still make him halt and look towards the water tinted bright because of the sun. It's late; they should search for a place to stay for the night.

"Yeah… maybe that's why."

* * *

"Are you sure is this way?"

Kurama stops and lifts his head up to glare at the young girl standing next to him. "Kid, I'm lowering myself to follow this scent. Don't question me and remind me I'm acting like a mutt."

"…Sorry."

He snorts. He can already picture Naruto throwing reassurances and bright grins to lift the girl's spirits while yelling at him about the proper way to treat small kids. It makes his lips curl up. He knows he should apologize. However, unlike Naruto, he doesn't care if he has hurt her feelings. Her world is already a chaos if mere words will be enough to bring her down then she's better done for.

Though he's had to admit she's got better. The day after their trip to the lake she asked him if he could trace her group. He was honest an informed her of the possibility. It brought her hopes up and they spend a couple weeks like that with him teaching her how to survive and showing her the ropes of shinobi's ways. He hates them but he's had to admit they know a couple of useful things.

It wasn't until two days ago that he found a scent similar to the one in her doll. They've been following it ever since. It's faint but his heightened senses are better than a ninken. He can follow it. He's slightly concerned about the weather thought. It's getting colder as winter gets near. They need a better place to stay away from the cold.

"Nine?"

"Now what?"

The girl doesn't complain but she does talk. A lot. He kind of misses the days she was afraid of him and concerned about bother him.

He waits for her to talk again but she doesn't answer, keeping quiet. Kurama frowns because that's now weird. He looks over his shoulder and sees the urgent face the girl's wearing. Her legs are slightly bend and he knows already what she wants to ask. He mentally sighs. Human's bodily functions are so bothersome.

"We'll stop for five minutes."

"Thanks," she murmurs before leaving to go behind a tree far away from him but not enough so he loses sight of it.

Kurama looks around and inhales. He has been following the scent for so long, it's become familiar to pick it up and ignore others, that's why just then realizes how close they were from a horde of walkers. He doesn't know the exact numbers because the odor of rotten flesh is similar.

There's also another smell. One he's used to and can easily recognize. Sweat and dirt. Kurama closes his eyes to _sense_ and the emotions come to him clear. Fear, exhaustion, hopelessness.

Other humans.

They can surround them as to not meet them but a couple of those walkers are literally in front of strongest path the scent has taken as of yet. It's already night and rain it's going to start to fall soon. He can taste it in the humidity around him. They _need_ to know if the scent keeps going forward or if it turns to other place. They could lose the trail and he's not too keen on spending more time trying to find it again.

The kid returns and Kurama informs her of what he's found. She looks up and a drop of water falls on her forehead. It's starting.

"More people?"

She doubts, afraid. She has told him about her group meeting others, before. Some were nice, she said before going quiet. Kurama can guess what happened though. He's seen what humans can do when they're scared. It doesn't bring the best of them. When humans have fallen to the true depth of hopelessness is when their real personality surfaces. When a human doesn't have anything to loose, things they have hidden before because of frail rules and morals come to light.

And it'll get worse as desperation sets in. When they realize their only option is survive, they will become the real monsters.

"I want to go forward. They probably don't know there are walkers ahead. We should… we should warn them."

Kurama gives her an incredulous look but she's already moving towards where he pointed. He shouldn't have pointed. He bites the back of her shirt and stops her. She scowls and is ready to protest, he can see it on her face.

"It's too late, kid."

Letting her go, he turns towards the clearing in time to hear someone gasp, followed by the sound of hitting. Then a woman comes from some bushes to find the walkers. She uses the shovel in her hands to stop the one near her right but it's a futile attempt, the others already noticed them.

"We should help them!" Sophia whispers when two men come forwards, followed by an older woman and a teenager.

"And then what?" Her body is ready to spring forwards but his words stops her. "You've some food, water and other supplies in that bag. Not to mention a weapon. What do you think they'll do once they know this?"

She bits her lower lip, action that makes her look younger.

"They're in a group…"

"And you're searching yours. Just because they're together doesn't mean they'll care for others outside their group. You don't need them."

The boy falls to the floor and he tries to kick the one crawling towards him. The others are busy themselves but one man uses his own weapon to open a path and move towards him.

"Ben!"

"They needs us, Nine," she repeats and saying the words aloud seem to have help her made her decision. She puts her bag on the ground and shoves a hand inside to pull a couple of fireworks they found in a house. Grabbing a lighter from her pockets, she runs to some trees near the action.

Should he feel offended she hasn't asked what does he want? Considering he's the one who's guiding her, he should get a say.

Too late to protest though, she's already throwing the fireworks into another bush and runs towards the other side.

He should leave her. He's been trying to teach her but she's ignoring her words easily now. Kurama doesn't even exactly know why he's helping her.

"Come on, Nine!"

He looks at her and remembers why.

The next time he sees Naruto, he's going to kick him so hard in the face.

Damn blond haired, blue eyes brats.

* * *

The fireworks only work on the closest to them. The others are more distracted with the humans near to pay attention. Even so, it still distracts them enough and the girl uses that skewer they found inside a grill of one house to strike the one on top of the teenager in the head.

Though this place doesn't have enough chakra for him to use his surroundings to reform his reserves (he'll have to wait for Naruto to do that), Kurama has spent enough days resting and meditating so he has enough energy to run and attack. He's not close to his actual speed in any ways but it's plenty to fight these weaklings, even if they need their head out of their shoulders to go down. They're seven against eighteen walkers. Hard but not impossible considering they've him.

"Are you okay, Tyreese?" asks the younger woman once the clearing is free of walkers. He lost the handle of his hammer momentarily and she had to step in to help him.

"I'm fine. Though we wouldn't have made it without you," he trails off, looking at the girl who's slightly panting near him.

"Sophia. My name's Sophia."

The woman steps forward. "Name's Sasha. This is my brother Tyreese."

"I'm Adam. My wife, Donna, and Ben, our son."

The woman goes to thank her for saving her son, while the boy does the same in a subdued way. Kurama can sense his shame and unease in the same way he can feel the accomplishment coming from the girl.

They continue talking, relaxed now that no walkers are near, sharing what they did before the outbreak happened and asking how Sophia survived for so long. She answers, not giving details but telling them enough for them to not to ask for more as he taught her.

Kurama doesn't move from where he is. Mostly because there's blood everywhere and he can't walk without stepping on some. He's been breaking necks instead of biting or using his claws as he doesn't have the chakra to spend in cleaning his fur, or walking on top of the blood as he did at the lake. It's all the old way now apparently and water is scarce.

He's still clean from his trip to the lake and he isn't going to dirt his fur so soon. Especially with dead body's blood. The cleanest way for him to walk off is if someone turned around the dead guy at his left so he can jump on top of him and go to the cleaner parts. These humans thought in using weapons that are the kind that left all bloody so everything's a mess.

Kurama's still debating if he's going to degrade himself and ask some assistance when the Sasha woman spots him while doing her self-appointed mission of checking if every fallen walker is really dead.

"A fox?"

Her voice is loud enough to make the others turn and he can see their eyes widen at his form.

"I've never known they could be this big," Donna adds, her hand moving to cover her mouth.

Sophia seems confused at first. She looks at them, following their line of sight before locking eyes with him. She's surprised as she opens her mouth to talk when the older, thin man approaches him with his weapon, a club. That makes her react as she goes to stand in front of him.

Kurama wants to scoff. Is not as if he needs help but that he doesn't want to move. Sophia's actions are enough to make Adam stop though. The girl glances briefly at him again, this time in the same way she did when he first woke up and she was curious to know what he was.

"He's Nine. We've been traveling together for a while."

"That's a fox. You do know they're wild animals, right?" says the teenager with a slight condescending tone.

"He's right, Sophia. Foxes are not pets."

This time he does scoff. Damn right he is not one.

Sophia shakes her head. "He saved me. He's my friend."

The words bring an odd sense of dejavu that makes easier to ignore her motions for him to stand next to her as if he were a mascot. When she notices he hasn't moved, she turns around completely and asks him what's wrong.

She's smart enough to know it's not going to improve things if the Big Fox suddenly turns into the Big Talking Fox, so he doesn't answer, choosing to point with his tail at the less bloody dead body.

"Oh."

She moves the body so he can use it as a bridge and smiles brightly at him, opening her arms wide as to hug him. The people behind her gasp but she ignores them.

Kurama gives her a raised eyebrow, unimpressed, before jumping with regal movements and head held high next to her, making sure his waving tail smacks straight on her face. Looking over his shoulder, he nods mentally at seeing Sophia rubbing her face.

"That was mean, Nine."

He smirks briefly and gives the others a nod of acknowledgment as he continues walking towards the scent.

"Nine, where are you going?"

Kurama ignores the murmurs going at his back as he gestures the girl ahead.

"Maybe we can stay for a while?" she says throwing a glance at the others.

Kurama point his tail upwards.

"Yeah, I know it's night. We should make camp and—"

Growling, he points upwards for a second time until she realizes what he means.

"The rain... The scent is that way then?"

He nods and she turns to the others who stayed silent while watching their interaction.

"I can't stay, sorry. Nine's helping me find my mom and her group and the rain can erase the trail so we need to go."

Tyreese is the one who steps ahead. "You're just going to follow that fox?"

"We're near. That's why we need to find it before it's too late."

"That direction leads to the highway, doesn't it? We were going towards it so we could follow it and find some stores or houses. Maybe we can go together?" says Tyreese, glancing at his group. "Well, she's just a girl," adds Sasha, looking curiously at him. "It'd be better if we helped each other for now. You said you've already been in the south. We came from the west, so some info about what's going in there would be helpful."

Donna sighs. "It's true, besides winter's close and it can be difficult to be alone in that time. What do you say, Sophia?"

She glances at him and Kurama simply shrugs. He would prefer to be around less humans but if Sophia's group is already dead then he can leave her with them and then search for Naruto by himself.

Sophia nods and smiles at them. "Okay then."

* * *

"So how did you say you met this fox?" Sasha asks. They've been walking for half an hour together mostly in silence in case there are walkers near, but they've not sighted anything dangerous so they're relaxed.

"Well, I was trying to go to the houses near the lake because I hoped to find food. Some walkers surprised me but Nine helped me. I think I remind him of his real owner."

Kurama who's in front of the group suddenly stops and turns his head to growl at Sophia. The group step back, startled, as they unconsciously press their weapons close.

Sophia is unfazed as she looks him with a frown. "Um… I look like your idiotic friend then?"

Kurama nods and continues walking forward, ignoring the hushed whispers.

After a couple more of minutes, Adam pushes his soaked hair away from his forehead. "We should search for a place to cover from the rain. We can't afford to get sick in this time."

The others start nodding, making sounds of agreement and plans for the night. Sophia looks at him and Kurama points his head towards a hill. They're really near. The scent's not strong but it's clearer than before. As if they've been more than a couple times there. It's mixed with some kind of smoke and dry plants he can really recognize thanks to the rain but it's there. He dashes forward.

"We're near," she says.

"You said that before but how do you know that, Sophia?"

"Nine says so, let's go!"

She runs behind him but he's the first to reach the highway. There are lots of those cars she told him about before and he goes to the specific one with the scent of Sophia's mother. There's no human near but he still jumps on top of the cars and when he reaches the one with the food he inhales the cars alongside it where he can catch the scent of other people, memorizing them before the rain erases it.

"We separated near here," she murmurs. "There were walkers and… They left me food and a blanket."

Donna stands behind her and extends her arms to offer her a hug but Sophia turns around and walks to where he is. She kneels, blanket pressed against her chest, tears forming in her eyes but it doesn't stop her to look him directly into his eyes.

"It's raining. Are we going to be able to find them?"

He frowns. Kurama's not the kind to give empty promises. Or pull a Naruto and work to turn the promise into reality with every fiber of his being. It's not him so he doesn't even try.

"I memorized the scent," he whispers instead, softly enough for only her to hear. It's not a promise but a fact. And it seems to help her regain her bearings. She slowly nods and stands. This time she does accept Donna's hug.

* * *

**Naruto**

* * *

Ero-sennin has always said he has a screwed up relationship with Lady Luck. That or he was her plaything. He has good luck with chance games and the kind, but whenever something that's supposed to be simple comes to him, he knows it's going to turn dangerous. He doesn't even remember being in a C-rank that hasn't turned into a B or and A. Sometimes even S.

He's never believed Ero-sennin's words to be true. But waking up in a new world to find being unable to move, every muscle in his being aching while his skin screams in discomfort, well, it makes him question. There are groans all around him, but when he looks from the corner of his eyes to take a look at his surroundings as he doesn't want to attempt to move his head, he only sees his skin turned as red as those times he came off from using the fourth tail.

His connection with Kurama's chakra is much, _much_ better so he knows is not that. Most likely is thanks to the sun shining annoyingly bright above him.

Naruto wants to stand up and see what those groans are. He makes his fingers twitch and that action is enough to make him curse.

So moving is a bad idea then.

He sighs and closes his eyes, ignoring the sounds near and letting the warm sun burn his skin even more. He hopes Kurama and Sasuke are faring better.


	4. A hint of anxiousness

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sasuke's not sure if its luck or not the one that made him fall in this place where people were near. His pain tolerance is high but he doesn't have the regeneration Naruto has. If he had fallen close to those 'walkers', as he doctor had called them, then…  
> Sasuke rolls his eyes at his wandering thoughts. After all, why trying to think in the 'what if's? It's not productive.

She's in front of them, menacing and deadly in her rage. But they've a plan. And as it keeps working in their favor, Sasuke feels a small drop of relief making its head known between all the adrenaline-fueled perceptions. Everything seems to move in slow motion as Sakura punches Kaguya and that distraction is enough for them. Their hands clasp on her shoulders as Sakura retreats and Naruto shouts in triumph next to him when the goddess under their hold groans and tenses as they continue the seal; the knowledge ingrained in their minds, a gift from the Sage of Six Paths that Sasuke's glad it exists.

Naruto _has_ gotten better, Sasuke admits, but his forte has never been and chakra control and he doesn't thing the blond knows how to mold his chakra in a specific right way without using hand seals. Though Naruto's always been better with complicated jutsus than the easier ones. And he's an Uzumaki. Sealing is supposed to be in his blood.

Kaguya rages and in a last attempt to distract them, she opens several dimensional holes even as the ground breaks and rocks starts levitating to surround her, attracted to the magnetic pull she now has. However, it doesn't last; her chakra dwells and the portals close one by one as she continues raging.

 _They've won,_ Sasuke's mind whispers as Naruto and he move far away from the goddess, not wanting to be caught in the pull.

Sasuke is panting but there's a smirk on his lips. He glances at his side and sees Naruto smiling brightly at him, giving him a thumbs up, practically a step away from bouncing. Yet, even with all the cheerfulness he's displaying, Sasuke can hear his heavy breathing clear as close as they are standing; the slight drop on his shoulders; the sweat running down his hairline, clear even with all the yellow colored chakra surrounding him and he doesn't blame him. His own eyes feel as if they've their own heartbeat with how much chakra and blood is pounding through them.

They're at their last and he knows it.

It's true that Naruto has larger reserves than him; however, he has also spent the time sharing his chakra with the other ninjas forming the Alliance. It's a feat by itself seeing him still in his Six Paths cloak.

Naruto perhaps it's doing like him, who by now is only able to keep fighting thanks to the chakra the Sage gave them. He knows that once he releases his rinnegan, that'll be it for him. His will is the only thing keeping it from deactivating without his permission. He really hopes Naruto is better off than him. It's not that he trusts him, but he knows Naruto. For all his new strength and skill, he's still the same stubborn guy with an unwavering loyalty.

If Sasuke falls unconscious, he's sure Naruto will do everything in his power to keep him safe. That's the kind of fool he is.

Sasuke feels a tug on his mark and brings his hand close for inspection. Naruto catches his movement and looks away from the slowly forming satellite to glance at his palm. One moment is all it takes for him to take his hand away to have a better view of the moon mark in his tight hold.

"Damn, yours is kind of cooler," he grumbles, turning his palm to a better angle as his face moves closer.

Sasuke scowls, ready to pull his arm away but his fingers grasped between Naruto's accidentally brushes against the blonde's own mark. The touch makes his lips part in surprise, barely able to contain the gasp wanting to escape from him.

From the place where his finger is touching Naruto's skin, emotions travel through him. The bigger one is the sense of accomplishment almost rolling in waves towards him, but there are others, smaller, that flash too fast for him to catch all. Excitement, pride and happiness all too thick and lasting, leaving their own trace in Sasuke's own emotions.

There's also something unique that's just _Naruto_ ; his own mark, almost. Warm and friendly, headstrong and impulsive. He doesn't know how but, from that touch, Sasuke knows he can get more than sensations. Much, _much_ more. From that touch alone, given to him without too much thought, Sasuke knows he can get hold of all his secrets—enter his mind as if he owns it and destroy it completely.

The information comes and Sasuke wants to grab it as the ninja he is, who take the opportunities in stride and uses them at his favor. Now, with the war slowly coming to its end, the only one who can stand between his goal and him, is the one who is giving him freely an opportunity to win. And yet, when the nostalgia and hopefulness that comes mixed with uncertainty and nervousness and _doubt_ , he backs away.

Naruto blinks at him before he frowns slightly. "Oi, bastard, not need to be so touchy. I was just looking."

"You didn't feel it?"

"Feel what?"

Sasuke really doesn't want to; he's a ninja and every advantage he should take, but… there's a probability that maybe—perhaps—he feels guilty. Not because he regrets his actions. Never. However, he recognizes Naruto's strength, recognizes _him_ as a person and even with their different views, he respects him.

He's guilty because what he feels now, knowing some of Naruto's emotions, that is… that is pity. Someone so strong and yet so weak, so naïve. Sasuke felt Naruto's friendship and, despite of everything, there's part of him that's glad, happy even. But only lasts a moment as Sasuke easily stomps on the emotions with little regret.

Not knowing if the effect is only for him, he places his palm up and motions Naruto to touch his mark. As Naruto approaches, Sasuke takes a breath to secure all his thoughts and most emotions away, as Orochimaru once taught him.

The blonde's curiosity is clear in his features, not a trace of wariness or doubt as he easily cautiously taps the mark with his middle finger. Their skin touch for a fraction of a second but apparently that's enough to make Naruto yelp.

 _So it works for both of them,_ he thinks, and really, _really_ hopes it's only between them. He doesn't want others to start feeling his emotions while battling if he accidentally touches them with his palm. He's certain he'll end up cutting his hand off if that's the case as he doesn't think he can guard his mind in the middle of a fight.

They share a meaningful look, the same look of understanding they used to do whenever Kakashi met with Gai for one of duels and they started acting strange together. Though when Sasuke realizes what he's doing, he scowls while Naruto grins at him. Then the blond opens his mouth, most likely to say something incredible stupid or perhaps a cheesy speech about friendship. Probably both.

Sasuke's glare stops him. "Not a word."

Naruto moves to give him the 'my lips are sealed' gesture, but Sasuke ignores him and hisses "Zetsu" under his breath as he catches Kaguya's arm flying far away from them. Naruto stops mid action as he turns around to see that particular shadow trying to escape. Not a second passes before the blond extends his arm and throws him a smirk.

He doesn't need to touch his hand to know what Naruto wants him to do. He grabs the limb and, using all his strength, launches him into the air, making sure there's no portal close Naruto can't avoid with his flying. Not that he uses it. Naruto is quick as he grabs the arm of the almost sealed goddess with Zetsu inside it, and throws it towards the rocks that are engulfing Kaguya's body. Naruto screams something Sasuke can't hear, smiling from ear to ear in his characteristic goofy way. He's literally glowing in triumph as he waves at him and Sasuke can't help but answer with his own, smaller and subdued smirk.

However, one moment the idiot is beaming; the next, his bright coat fades into nothingness and he stops levitating, eyes half closing as he leans to the side before he starts fall.

Sasuke is already forming his Susanoo by the time he notices the portal floating he's sure the blonde is going to fall through. The wings flap once, twice and the strain in his eyes increases as he flies forwards. Half of Naruto's body is already sucked in but Sasuke keeps going. Panicked shouts of the others come from behind him as the air leaves his lungs. Not that he cares as he's already crossing the portal. He's now close and that's all that currently matters.

The purple energy brushes Naruto's clothes, grazing his skin, and it seems the contact is enough for the blond to gain consciousness, faintly as it is. The problem comes a second later when his whole purple avatar seems to blink briefly out of existence as Naruto absorbs his chakra without realizing. His already dwelling chakra.

He retreats Susanoo's hand as the purple chakra slowly fades, and screams, "Damn idiot, _wake up!_ "

Azure eyes open slowly and Sasuke feels his heart in his throat as the wind flaps hard on his face. Without his Susanoo to protect him, the consequences of portal hoping are hard to ignore. He's so weak and his eyes want to close, but he still notices the red energy emanating from Naruto's stomach as the blonde looks at him with unfocused eyes.

He doesn't want to glance down and let more air hurt his already sensitive eyes but he needs to. One small peek makes him curse. Sasuke can't even visualize the ground.

There's a tug that makes him once again look up at the blonde. Something makes him freeze with uneasiness as the tug—the yank—increases in its force. Sasuke doesn't know exactly what is but he does know it won't be pretty. It's never pretty. Naruto's yellow glow has returned and Sasuke knows the idiot has woken up and realized the same.

A yellow hand reaches him even as they are separating. His skin prickles as he receives chakra from him, it's faint but still thrown at him hurriedly and without too much care. His tenketsu points feel ready to burst but Sasuke's glad to have some energy back. So glad it takes him a moment to take notice of the Kyuubi's form slowly forming next to them.

His mind doesn't process everything after that. His sharingan is still active but everything seems to move quicker after Naruto follows his gaze towards the now fox-looking energy.

There's surprise in his face and then blood is coming out of his mouth. A glimpse of a smile and then he's being thrown away, falling towards what he knows will be a painful collision. His eyes bleed as he prepares to use what little chakra Naruto has given him to form a half Susanoo. Just the bones that will serve as a shield to make the impact less painful.

It takes almost a full minute until he's really close to the floor. He sees trees and senses living beings under him. Forming the chest of his Susanoo and a wing to soften the fall, Sasuke is ready to meet the ground.

That doesn't happen though. He just wakes up.

Drenching in sweat and with a sore body, he grunts as his arms flail to the sides of the tub, trying to grab whatever solid thing that will help him ground his panic. However his arm is still broken and he ends falling more into the tub with hot agonizing pain shooting through him. He stays that way for long minutes, not moving, just steadying his breath and doing a checkup of his injuries with closed throbbing eyes. Then, when he can ignore the pain in his body, he puts the effort to open his eyes, taking his time to blink and adjust.

He's glad he hasn't stood up yet or he'd have fallen again.

More time passes like that, with him just looking up at the ceiling, trying to right the spinning, swimming world, until his gaze is able to focus enough to discern the small imperfections around him. Sasuke wants to be in that position longer but his stomach tightens and a sound comes from it. He's hungry in a way that makes him known it has been at least two full days since he's fell sleep.

Glancing at his side, he can see some of the food he managed to collect from the kitchen. His gut clenches once at the sight more but he ignores it. The food is too far away and he's not sure he'll be able to stand up. Chakra exhaustion sucks like that.

He closes his eyes and sleeps again.

* * *

 

Sasuke wakes up three more times before he manages to move enough to serve himself a drink. He's glad he chose the tub to fall unconscious and that the water is still working. There is a glass filled water around his fingers and broken cups on the floor—his flabby attempt those first two times he tried to drink something but his trembling hands were unable to grab anything.

Taking a deep breath, he tries to form a mental list of the things he needs to do now. He cannot exactly try to return to the Elemental Nations with as little power he currently has after all. That'll be his present objective. However, with his current handicaps, that's something of a long-term goal than anything else so he needs small tasks that will distract him or a short-term goal he can work on while he heals or he won't know what to do with his himself.

The truth is that Sasuke's been going from goal to goal without stopping for so long, he doesn't know what to do without one.

Escape from this world is one, that's right, but… he doesn't know how to accomplish that. Not yet. He'll have to think in something but while his chakra is almost non-existent, and it'll take him a couple weeks to replenish his large reserves, he needs something _else_ to aim for.

When his mind is focused in a task, he can be calm and collected. However, the true is that Sasuke's not a patient man. He's never been. He calls Naruto stupid for being impulsive, when he is the same. Everything to achieve what he wants. No matter what he hurts, who he kills. If he can obtain it quicker, then anything else will matter. If he stops—if he takes his time to rest, he's scared he won't be able to stand up and continue.

And now he needs _something_ to calm his rising anxiety but Sasuke doesn't not _what_. He feels it close to reach but not enough to actually grasp it. Everything just _itches_. An itch coming from somewhere inside him but he doesn't know where to scratch, or if he needs to scratch it for it to stop and that's unnerving.

The path is no longer clear and he desperately needs something he can work for and occupy his mind in. Survive is not sufficient. Not for Uchiha Sasuke. He could do that effortlessly without it being a goal. He needs something to think before sleeping and first thing once he wakes up. Something he can work for and occupy his mind in. It just now occurs him, but… he has always trained. He doesn't have any hobbies, things to spend the time. All his goals were able to be accomplished by being stronger so he did everything to obtain power. Training day and night. Kill Itachi, avenge his clan, kill Danzo, destroy Konoha, and create an everlasting peace with him as the only villain are goals simply solved with gaining more power.

He does need to regain his strength, that's true, however… somehow now is not the same. He wanted everything to end and bring peace, but why everything complicates every time he thinks he has hold of what he really wants? Why can't he rest? He's so tired.

Not that he can stop now. He needs to return to his own dimension, though what can he do? Training can't be, he's barely able to move. Not that being stronger will help him this time and something inside him tells him he's already reached the maximum level of his power. He only needs more skill and experience but what will those be of help at the moment?

_What am I going to do?_

The thought comes tinted with a light hysteria and anxiety. There's a tightening in his chest that makes it hard to swallow and think. He feels as if a dam inside him is about to crumble, desperation's building too quickly, and he can't fight it. He really can't and that… that scares him in a way he hasn't been since the Massacre. When he was just a child whose world turned upside down and his hero suddenly morphed into the villain. Weak and useless, lying on the floor, trembling, with tears and snot on his face as his mind repeated once and again all the murdering his brother shoved into his brain.

He hates it. Hates it so much he can't breathe.

Sasuke clenches his hands to stop the light shaking that is steadily forming, his respiration coming in short shaky breaths. His chakra reacts to his emotions, making a small spark appear erratically on his skin. He shakily takes in a surprised gasp as a wave of pain different from his own runs through him.

 _That's Naruto_ , he thinks. A familiar stubborn resolve as strong as the pain accompanying it comes forth and that can't be from anyone else.

The sensation leaves as fast as it came and an amused huff escapes him. He can clearly picture Naruto screaming in irritation at the pain he must be feeling.

Somehow, that resilience coming from someone in a similar position as his own manages to calm him. It comforts him knowing he's not alo— _No_.

His lips form a thin line and his jaw tenses. He won't break. Not in an unknown world, not ever. Sasuke breathes heavily for a couple of times. He needs a plan. Something to follow. Stomach rumbling almost painfully makes him glances again at the food and this time he nods firmly.

_Eat first._

He takes a last gulp of water and licks his lips before placing the glass aside. Deciding he's well enough to try to stand, his hands goes to the tub's sides. His arms tremble as he pushes himself upwards. The sensation of pins and needles stabs his legs as he moves them but he keeps moving forward, sweat forming on his temple, making his grassy and sweaty hair stick to his forehead.

Perhaps he's lucky he has spent many times working until collapsing because now knows too well the sensation of chakra exhaustion. That means he's used to the feeling and knows what to do in these type of cases. That's why he's going to eat something and then he'll do some light exercise to take the stiffness away from his muscles.

Then he'll take a bath.

It's not much but it's still something to do.

* * *

 

Sasuke's known civilians own scented shampoos, soaps and all types of creams with the purpose of smelling 'nice'. Being born in a family of ninjas, he didn't understood why they did it until his brother told him civilians and ninjas didn't think or experience the same. For them, having a type of strong smell won't result in their demise if the enemy manages to catch their scent. They could afford to smell 'nice'. They don't have to blend in the shadows to manage the quickest kill. And it's because of that that it doesn't surprise him the people in this world are the same.

 _Still_ , he thinks as he grabs a somewhat clean towel, _it's strange to smell of vanilla._

It's not strong enough to overwhelm him, but it is noticeable for his heightened senses to ignore. Distracting in a way. The shampoo's smell was stronger and fruity, it reminded him of the one he faintly remembers Sakura using in their genin days. He always scowled whenever he was able to discern that particular fragrance from other smells. He thought they would die because of that and that's why he mostly chose to partner with Naruto when they had to separate in pairs.

He stops drying his hair as he thinks the absurdity of the consequences of that decision. Because, now that he thinks about it, if it weren't for those actions, Naruto wouldn't be his friend. He had noticed him when they were kids and he knows Naruto had done the same, but they wouldn't have formed any bond if they hadn't interacted. They would still be competing to know who the best was.

It was because of Sakura's hair they managed to spend so much time together and form their friendship.

Or perhaps not. This is supposedly their third life. So maybe it doesn't matter if they're in the same team or if Sakura's hair smells or not, somehow their lives were going to end tangled, wanting it or not, repeating the same dance and battle all over again.

Sasuke glances at his right hand and brushes the symbol of the moon with a thumb. He feels a faint echo of pain and a willpower that makes his lips twitch.

It's not the same this time, isn't? Naruto, unlike their previous lives, has decided to make him see reason and return to Konoha with him. And that's why he has to kill him. He knows Naruto is too headstrong to give up and he's going to interfere with his plans if he's alive.

Though, he grudgingly admits, some small part of him is glad Naruto's here. Not only for the reason that he can use him to heal himself with the sage's power. It's because, even if he tries to fight it and hates it, he can deny Naruto is the last bond he hasn't completely severed. It isn't because lack of trying. It just seems that whenever he tries to cut it, it comes back with vengeance. Like a cockroach.

He sighs, exhausted just by thinking in that blond idiot, and starts walking out of the door leading to the bedroom naked, cane loud against the wood floor as he hopes the closet he used to block the windows has clean clothes. It has. They're slightly bigger but even the baggy, hard-looking jeans gives him a good maneuverability to work with.

He's now clean and even if Sasuke's not in any way full, he can ignore the light grumbling coming from his stomach thanks to some crackers.

That particular reason was the most important one that caused him to leave the heavily guarded bathroom. He remembers leaving most of the stuff he obtained on the bed and he's glad to find it there. The room is dark but he still can discern the food from other implements. The good sight has always been a trait from the Uchiha, sharingan or not.

If knowing how much time has passed was just _that_ easy. It can be, but he doesn't know how the weather works in this world so the air is not going to be helpful. He's going to have to come out for that and probably ask someone. He discards the idea though that reminds him he still needs to gather information in everything. It's a good thing he's seen books in the living room of the house. There was also what looked like a library near the make ship hospital and that looks like a good place to start.

It'd be better to do that when the others are sleeping though. There's no light in the room that could tell him if it's day or night but he probably can taste it if this world is similar to his own. Which looks like if it has human-like beings in it. He can try it just to be sure because if there's one thing he likes about being a summoner it's the slight physical changes it offers you depending of the chosen summon. He'll never be able to do the stuff Orochimaru could without physical modifications, but he can taste the air and see through his tongue like most of snakes.

Taking his tongue out and directing a small drop of chakra in it, Sasuke licks the air slowly. He hasn't mastered the art of summoning, nor had he the time to try learning senjutsu with the snakes, so he needs to put more concentration whenever he tries it. Especially if doesn't want to waste chakra. He normally uses less than what it takes to form a kawarimi to use his snake-like abilities, but it seems that that amount is too much for now. Sasuke's slightly breathless at the end, but he obtained what he wanted.

It's early morning, it seems. Also, there are no people near, at the moment, but there has been a great number standing outside the room. Probably yesterday by the faint trace he's picked.

Sasuke goes to the door leading to the hallway and pours a bit of his chakra into the door, unlocking the seal and making the barrier fall.

It's kind of amusing watching how the door falls from its hinges once there's no power to hold it in place. Said hinges follow after, holes and scratches surrounding the places where they have been. He gives a small tap with his foot to the doorframe and hears small cracks going from the place he's kicked to the floor. Dust falls in front of him from the ceiling.

It seems the Governor did try to enter.

He turns the door over to see what kind of damage has suffered and can almost sense the frustration and anger coming from the marks adorning the surface. The handle is the one with a couple number of holes that smell faintly of the powder used in explosives. He blinks. Sasuke's sure he has smelled it before.

Remembering, he looks over his shoulder to catch a glimpse of the gun he retrieved from the Governor. They must have used similar weapons. He returns his gaze to the door and tries to analyze its power based in damage he's seen. It must be great if they've managed to scratch the door at all, but there are few and their location seems thought with the purpose of bringing down the door without wasting unnecessary shots. He glances at the hinges which sport the similar holes and notices the same.

The people he's managed to see didn't give the air to be the controlled bunch, so they most likely can't afford to waste their ammunition. The Governor has mentioned how this place was a haven from the monsters lurking outside, so they must have isolated themselves. He's also asked if Sasuke was planning of taking their supplies and food. Their resources must be low, too.

He's trying to form a picture from what he's seen and heard and, suffices to say, it's not pretty.

Sasuke's not sure if its luck or not the one that made him fall in this place where people were near. His pain tolerance is high but he doesn't have the regeneration Naruto has. If he had fallen close to those 'walkers', as he doctor had called them, then…

Sasuke rolls his eyes at his wandering thoughts. After all, why trying to think in the 'what if's? It's not productive.

Leaning more of his weight on the cane, Sasuke walks forward. The first thing he sees is the mess the living room is. Counting the different foot prints on the floor, he can guess the number of the people in charge of killing him.

If they work like the civilians from his world then the non-combatants must be already afraid of him. He doesn't know how the Governor managed to inform his people into doing that ambush but he remembers seeing people watching from inside some houses. It'd be easy for their leader to fester that fear so they no longer see him as a teenager they must assumed he was, but a monster of the same caliber of the ones they fear from the outside.

Sasuke's weakened and until he can have a guess of the power from those so-called monsters, it'd be better if he doesn't leave Woodbury. He's going to have to change their opinion of him if he doesn't want to constantly watch his back. That, or he could make a deal with the Governor.

Yes, perhaps he should go and talk to the Governor. Deal or not, he still needs to see him. After all, he hasn't returned him his sword.

* * *

Naruto has always thought it was Kurama's chakra inside his system the one that advanced his healing, and in a way it's true. It does improve his own healing. But just recently he's realized that without Kurama to guide his chakra and actually heal his wounds, his healing is not that much better than a normal ninja. Less painful, yes. Faster? Not so much.

How many days has it been with only the blazing sun as his ceiling? He's not that bad, though. He doesn't felt that constant pain anymore and he can finally move his head, dattebayo!

"Though I'm still _so_ hungry," he croaks and that sound is enough to elicit more groans around him.

That brings him to another dilemma. It seems that whatever world he's fallen into, there are Edo Tensei wannabes around. The difference is that these one look more dead and are far less intelligent. Oh, and they're hungrier, too. The only thing probably keeping them from eating him is the small, and slightly destroyed, room he may be on.

Still. Those grunts and moans reminds him of that zombie movie Kiba tried to make him watch and since he managed to catch glimpse of the zombies surrounding him, he can't quite sleep. It's not as if they scared him, it's just that Ino pointed out once the movie ended the possible ghosts that must be around searching for their bodies.

He just wants to heal faster so he can move, search a place to sleep without zombies, then look for Kurama and Sasuke so they can get out of this place.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N. I'm really insecure about this chapter... I think I made it too OoC. I mean, I want to break Sasuke and all but I want to do it realistically, so comments about how it's going his characterization would be awesome. Also, this story started before Naruto and Sasuke had their heart to heart so Naruto still needs to knock some sense into him and Sasuke's still a bastard. And before I forget, we're only three chapters away from doing a time skip and then start to reunite them all. Naruto will finally have his own POV yay!  
> PS. Can someone guess where Naruto is right now? It's a long shot I know.


	5. One can't help but miss a friend

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "Shit!" Sophia hisses behind him and his lips tilt upwards because he knows her cursing is because of his influence. She's probably scowling at him because she knows that too. He turns to look over his shoulder, ready to send her a smirk if she's blushing, when he senses a familiar feeling. His body stops, it becomes tense and motionless. Like a statue, he's immobile, ignoring the movement going on around him. He can't bring himself to care when a walker bites him. Or the second that follows.  
> "Naruto?"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As always, comments and the kind are appreciated. It's the food of us, authors

Naruto

* * *

There are a lot of things Naruto doesn't like and few, really few, he actually hates. Like stuck-up bastards and arrogant assholes who don't care about others or the consequences of their actions. Goddesses hell bent into destroying the world and losing friends are currently on top of the list. Also, being unable to move for long periods of time is another one, apparently.

It's been days, probably weeks or more with him just lying on his back, with the sun above him scorching whatever skin there is to show. He's managed to turn around but it doesn't help much. The night is worse lately, too. It's colder than the first days and it has rained at least two times. His jumpsuit is made for ninja so it's for all kind of weather and good at maintaining the heat of one. Even so, trying to sleep with soaked clothes is never fun.

It's currently raining. It's light, not as strong as it had been before but… Well, he's getting better and that's a good thing. He never learned medicine or completely understood the lectures Sakura tried to impart about it, so he really doesn't know if infusing Kurama's chakra through his muscles, bones and everything that hurt is wise. It doesn't hurt as it did the first time he woke up so he isn't going to think really deep about it.

Something tells him Kurama is going to get pissed once he takes a look at his health.

"And my stomach is eating itself. I'm sure if the seal wasn't there to restore my stomach, I wouldn't have one now." There are grunts around him that make him acknowledge the presence of the Edo Tensei wannabe. "At least I'm not alone in my hunger, right guys?"

He's going crazy. Probably. But he needs to keep talking or he's going to forget how to and his throat will hurt worse whenever he tries. Or that's what he keeps telling himself whenever he catches himself talking alone. It was easier to ignore how much he talks to himself when there's an actual, _solid_ copy of himself to talk to.

"Ugh! I just want to move and leave this place!" he screams, as loud as he can. The monster's sounds are louder as they seem to regain whatever energy left they have to move again. Naruto wants to mock them at their ineptitude as it's the only hobby he's had these last weeks but there's a weird, loud sound coming from above. He turns his eyes from the ugly dead beings to the sky and sees a black dot with a trail of what seems to be smoke coming from it. He squints his eyes and sees as it grows closer and the _thing_ becomes clearer. A flash of the winged devices he saw the land of Sky having crosses his mind and he's left with mouth agape and widen eyes because the thing he's seeing is larger and more complicated than the one from Sky Country. It certainly has more metal.

Naruto looks at it for a long time, appreciating the shiny black exterior. Someone must be piloting that thing and that surprises him. He's thought this world was only filled with monsters. Zombie apocalypse and all. He frowns at it, trying to see if there's someone inside. It's not until he realizes it's coming towards him, that he starts panicking.

"Crap!"

Trying to stand up comes as a slow and erratic action. Muscles don't answer as they're supposed to but he tries anyways to go towards the corner far away from those ugly zombies. More because of the panic than the belief it will actually work. It's no surprise that it doesn't work. His crawling is not fast enough and before he can advance more than a few feet, the device is already crashing towards the other side of wherever he is. Everything trembles for a couple of seconds and maybe he is lucky it's raining. He doesn't want to think what that fire would have done otherwise.

When he extends his head as to have a better sight of the machine, Naruto realizes that he's probably above of more than one floor as the thing stays hovering on the side as if it wants to fall.

"That was close," he mumbles and sees how the other zombies move from where they were close to him towards the shiny flying thingy. Obviously attracted to the sounds it keeps giving off. He doesn't know what exactly they can do but Naruto gets an off feeling from them that tells him to avoid approaching. They move slowly and so does he, but what better opportunity to escape from them than now?

The zombies are already close to the burning metal when Naruto reaches the end of the roof he currently is. He can see the height of the walls and the door under him. Considering how small the room he is on, the door probably leads to stairs.

Trying to ignore the pins and needles that makes all his body ache uncomfortably, Naruto nods to himself and readies to use the safest and less hurtful way to to fall.

"No! Away—go away!"

Naruto's head shots up towards the sound. The fight didn't help him before to distinguish anything but now... It's faint but he can see someone strapped on one chair inside the machine wearing a suit similar to the ones some of the zombies wear. He screams again and there's blood on his arms as he tries to move away from one that's trying to move closer.

Naruto doesn't care about the pain anymore, he wills his body to move. His legs feel like jelly as he stands up and his hands tremble as he tries to grab one kunai from the five he has left inside his pouch. He jumps to the ground and falls awkwardly, shoulder meeting cold stone, before he grunts in pain.

He takes a sharp intake of breath, one step forwards and looks up. The man has noticed him. His eyes are wide open and Naruto doesn't know if he's realized he's not a zombie. Not that he cares because apparently his fall has caused him to distract enough for a zombie to take advantage of it and bite him on the chest.

A sense of foreboding fills him and he can't think anymore. He calls whatever chakra he has. It's Kurama's, he faintly notices. It's not enough to form his cloak but enough to make his skin glows a slight gold. His legs bend to jump but it's too late. Other zombies take a hold of his arms and keep biting him, not caring of the fire licking on their skin.

Even if the chakra surrounding his body is not enough for a cloak, his slight connection to Kurama's still makes him gain his abilities to feel other's emotions. It's not as deep as the time he touched Sasuke's hand but he still can sense the terror and panic. The worse is the resignation as if it doesn't surprise him. Deep hopelessness is inside him.

 _How many more,_ he thinks. _How many more are as scared as this man?_

It was stupid to think that the only things in this world were those zombies. It was stupid to ignore—Fuck, how many more? How many men, women… Are there kids outside as afraid?

Naruto knows he can't save him and even if he feels so impotent, he doesn't move. He's rooted to the ground, not moving his eyes away from the man. The same way the man's eyes don't leave his. He's scared and Naruto doesn't want to leave him alone.

Tears fall from his eyes but he smiles, trying to pour all the reassurance he can in that one gesture and convey how sorry he feels while his eyes flare with determination, promising help. Not to him; he's already late, but he can still help. The man opens his mouth but one bites him on the neck and gurgles are the only thing that come from him, blood escaping from his mouth.

He waits until the man's eyes are blank before he falls on his knees. Tears keep falling and he doesn't stop them. Because they're for the man whose name he didn't know but would have liked to know. Maybe he was good, maybe he was an asshole. It doesn't matter; no one deserves to die hopeless.

He needs to find Kurama and Sasuke. He needs to return to his world. And he will, but until they meet, until they find a way to go back, he'll try to help.

* * *

 

* * *

"I hate humans. I really, really do," Kurama grumbles lowly enough for no one to notice as he sees the discussion unfold in front of him. Sophia is still sleeping on one of the rooms and the male teenager is on the upper floor, near the stairs, listening to the conversation going at the table. Never growing in volume, even as the intensity increases.

Perhaps it has something to do with the ability he has, he thinks. Being able to detect emotions and changes of mood can be advantageous when one needs to deal with other sentient beings because in spite of one learning how to erase their physical responses as to lie better, Kurama still knows what one truly feels.

The downside is that they can be quite overwhelming.

He has forgotten how extremely emotional human beings are even if they try to hide it—especially if they try to hide it. That's one of the primordial reasons he avoided humans when the biju were recently created and his father introduced them to others so they could create bonds. He was a good child, the kind to do whatever his father told him to do and even more. However, it wasn't the same that time. Kurama always kept his distance even when those first years his Father's idea of union worked. He's never mentioned it and there wasn't neither disappointment in his eyes, nor negative emotions coming from him; his father understood and loved him.

And then he died and everything went downhill.

The distance he maintained helped him when everything got worse and humans became more afraid of them as time passed and their height increased. They became demons in their eyes and treated them that way, giving them titles that fitted their pictures of them. Their names went forgotten until…

The name his mind provides makes the hatred dwelling inside him stop.

He can detect emotions, create them anew and induce others into feeling what he wants. He can make others feel hatred towards their kind, could create wars with ease—his ability is the most dangerous of his brethren and was given it to him because of that. However, that never stops his ability from affecting him, because in the same way, his ability influences him, too.

It's because of his Father's trust on him to be responsible enough with this power he's never tried to do anything. And now because of Naruto, too, it seems. The idiot calls his power 'cool' because with it they can be able to help the ones who need it. To him, the simple solution to him feeling the backlash of all the human misery and hatred is make as much people as they can happy so the happiness they feel will be able to subside the negative emotions that sets like a heavy weight against his being.

_"_ _Besides, you don't have to carry all of that alone. We're friends, aren't we? If it's too heavy for you then it's good that I've strong shoulders. Give me some weight, damnit! That's what friends are for, after all, believe it! "_

He snorts as he keeps thinking in how that articular conversation went. Naruto saying how sage mode can carry more weight so he doesn't have to worry that'll hurt him or he will end crushed as he can even carry his heavy furry butt on one shoulder.

Then they start bickering and a fight ensues, but it's light without any actual bite, as that's how their friendship works.

Kurama stops his thoughts as he recalls his own words and realizes how easily he now calls Naruto friend. It's not long before he takes into account that Naruto is his first and only friend.

"Well, that's sad," he mumbles and is glad he's a good distance away from the others. He doesn't want their attention away from whatever they're planning. Better not get into all the drama that's the life of an adult human. He only hopes Naruto won't be like that when he grows because, apparently, the Donna woman has some kind of infatuation towards the other human called Tyreese and that's a big no-no that can't happen when one is with an established mate.

 _Humans_.

Placing his head on his front paws, Kurama tries to ignore the emotions coming from the humans so they won't influence him. The floor is cold and in spite of his increasing chakra, he doesn't have enough reign to completely ignore it. He's been trying to use the nature energy around him without injuring others, but it's a slow-going progress.

It's been almost two weeks since he joined this group and while constant exposure of him has made them less skittish around him… well, it's also made them think they can be 'familiar' with him. He now has to growl whenever they try to _pet_ him. Pet _Him_! He hasn't even let Naruto do that! No that he would ever do; it's plain humiliating and degrading. And if the dumbass ever tries he's going to smack him hard without healing him afterwards.

Is it strange that he thinks continuously in different manners of how to torture Naruto when they meet again?

_Of course not; it's Naruto after all._

He probably has done several stupid things already that will make Kurama angry. Kurama scoffs as he slowly closes his eyes, his thoughts trailing again towards certain blonde menace. He tries to ignore it most of the time, but he can't deny he's worried. So far he hasn't sensed any of his power being used and that could mean several things.

The Uchiha has some kind of shield he can use with that Susanoo of his but Naruto's cloak wouldn't make the collision softer. It would protect him, it's true, but… Kurama, the mighty and stronger of all bijus, the so called demon fox, is worried.

_"_ _You're not a demon fox anymore, Kurama. You're one of my previous teammates now."_

He shrugs Naruto's voice off as if it's not been so long since those words were uttered and they became partners, he doesn't want to think of the war. Those days before Kaguya appeared and they had to fight Madara and Obito were nerve breaking and tiring and stressful. And yet, they were the best days he's lived. So long has it's been with someone directing pure positive emotions to him. Naruto was bothersome continuously asking about himself and his life before being inside jinchurikis but he was honestly interested. His curiosity was real and maybe it shouldn't surprise him how readily Naruto accepted him, shrugging off years he's suffered because of him and how he's tried to manipulate him… but it does. One thing is knowing how completely Naruto gives himself to others; his trust, loyalty, friendship. Another one is receiving all that undiluted love.

Naruto's been hurt many times because of that but he doesn't stop from continuing doing it. And even if they wouldn't have the same friendship they've now because of it, he wishes Naruto wasn't that much of a bleeding heart. And damn, it's possible that maybe, perhaps, he misses that fucking brat.

"We should take advantage that the rain is over and leave!" Sasha hisses, frustration loud enough to interrupt his musings.

"This place is big enough for everyone. There are woods near we can obtain food from before winter completely hits us."

"Adam, I agree with my sister. This place is too cold. There's no A/C or warm sheets besides Sophia's and we're too far from other houses to change locations in case of emergency. We could die if we stay here."

There's a silence before the other woman speaks, "They're right, Adam."

That sentence makes the emotions tightly contained in Adam snap. "Of course you would agree. You would agree whatever he says, wouldn't you?"

The tension increases and while it amuses Kurama, it also gives him a headache. He's been inside a seal for so long; he now needs to get used to the emotions around him. It was easier when he was with the Alliance supplying them chakra as he had to focus in one thing: fighting. Now? Now it's a pain.

Sensors are able to detect others because they are attuned to their chakra networks and can _feel_ that life-force unlike how a Hyuuga actually _sees_ it. Kurama is more a sensor in the way he can't actually see the emotions, though he admits that there is something akin of an aura surrounding others he feels. He has always being able to know which 'colors' correspond to all emotions. But the headache inducing problem about it is that the 'colors' leave an echo. Even after time passes, the emotions stay as wavelength of energies in the air.

Currently, the room is filled with them.

"There's a car outside and we've some fuel from the ones we found in the highway. We should use that," Donna says after a tense moment, trying to reason with his husband but he's still noticeable frustrated. His emotions are almost shoved towards the others and the impotence and jealousy in there too is nauseating.

"… Okay," he finally says and Kurama rolls his eyes. He stands up and decides to wake Sophia up and start with her training regime as the conversation moves towards to others topics. It won't be long before the humans will start calling the others into eating something before leaving and that'll cut her free time short.

* * *

Opening the door is easy to do when one is finally able to form a tangible chakra arm. Is not big or powerful, but solid enough to touch things and he will take whatever small progress he can.

The room has some books on the floor as he made Sophia read him some of what they found inside the house. The titles seemed interesting and now he has more knowledge about this world. He still doesn't know how to read the language even if he understands it so Sophia's been helpful in that sense. The encyclopedia holds the most useful information so he'll only take that one to their trip so she can read him while traveling as he didn't get much from that book because Sasha and Sophia were supposed to share bed and once she entered the room for that purpose they had to stop.

Looking at her sleeping face makes him slightly guilty because it's early and it was because of him she stayed up late and didn't get a lot of sleep time.

_Oh, well._

Grabbing one lonely pillow between his fangs Kurama throws it at the kid. It makes a thud sound when it meets her face but the only response he gets it's a long grunt and then the pillow is being throw lazily at him. He doesn't bother dodging as it won't even reach him.

"Come on, girl. Time to train."

There are more groans of protest before Sophia stands up five minutes later. She takes off her shirt and pants before starting with some light workout to stretch the body before slowly increasing the difficulty of them. It's not long before she starts with the tiring ones. Considering how she couldn't do a single push up when they started and now can do seven well done without stopping, he would say she's improving. It's a slow progress but progress nonetheless. He can't make her do the entire length of the regime the Academy makes the ninja hopeful do at her age yet, so he has to start with the routine designed for eight years old.

Forty-five minutes of trainng and fifteen minutes of cooling off later, she's sprawled on the floor, panting. He places her backpack in front of her and she opens it to retrieve a small cloth she uses to clean the sweat covering her body.

It won't do much but the house doesn't have water and they can't afford to spend the one that's inside her bottle. Though that doesn't stop her from scrunching her face when she touches her hair.

"My hair smells?"

"It stinks."

She frowns at him before sighing. "I know. But! I'm doing better, aren't I?"

"Can't deny that," he says slowly because it's not good exactly but he faintly remembers the other kids at the Academy (the civilian ones) advancing at her same pace. He's not going to judge her based on his own jinchurikis when everyone knows biju hosts are stamina monsters. That'd be plain unfair.

"Next time we can start with light katas."

"Katas?"

"They're for you to learn some fighting forms."

Sophia instantly perks up, sitting up and ignoring her tiredness. "You'll teach me how to fight?"

"You can't learn enough to fight those walkers with the little time we have, it takes months if not years to learn a fighting style. However, I can teach you how to dodge to avoid scratches and bites so you can get an opening I guess."

"Really? Thanks, Nine."

She smiles at him before looking down and making an excited noise. Fist bump and all. However she stops her languid eager movements to look at him with furrowed brows. "Wait. How are you going to teach me? You're a fox."

Huh. It seems he didn't think that far. Not that he's going to let her know that. He's stablished a kind of an admiration relationship with her and he kind of likes her awe at his knowledge and power. It's nice to not be called fuzzbutt and similar and be treated with respect for a chance.

"I'm a being made of chakra; I can alter my form to look human."

That's… true. He was born a fox but that doesn't mean he cannot change his form. It's difficult, actually. Not because it wastes chakra but the quantity of concentration he needs. However, he's been inside some humans and he's familiarized enough with some forms for it to not be so taxing.

With a deep, unnecessary breath, Kurama lessens his physical form. His defined features become bubbly and it's hard to not entire let go and become one with the Nature energy and rest until he's strong enough but he manages. He forces himself to take another familiar form. He hears a small gasp and realizes he's closed his eyes. He opens them and sees Sophia looking at him in awe. This time he's taller and she has to look up.

"You look weird."

Kurama raises an eyebrow as he's used Naruto's form and he's not that odd looking. Glancing at his left, he surveys his work, using the reflection of the window in the room to look at himself.

"Huh. Didn't see that one coming," he says touching his somewhat orange hair. It is blonde but there's a faint orange like his fur that seems to have bleed through. His skin is probably a shade darker than Naruto's but he does look like him. A slightly older Naruto. And that's mostly because his features are sharper than the original's. Though his face is more similar to the Fourth Hokage than Naruto, actually, and that kind of bothers him. Well, at least he doesn't look entirely like Minato. His eyes are red, and his fangs are larger. Naruto's whiskers are more notorious, too.

In short, his looks are akin to Naruto's in those times he's used one tail's worth of his power.

Also, unfortunately, he's wearing that horrible jumpsuit. It's not orange, which he's thankful for, but golden and black doesn't make it look better either. He closes his eyes again to concentrate in other clothes. He only has the ones his jinchurikis wore as reference and that doesn't really help as ninjas in general when they choose some outfit, they always wear it. And how they're mostly on duty, they don't bother buying anything else.

Naruto is that kind of ninja. Kushina was too, though she's had a couple of extra dresses.

The only one he can think of whose clothes wouldn't look too bad is Mito's. So kimono it is. The less formal he can think of because those things are uncomfortable and Mito, being from nobility, wore those the most.

"Now you look pretty."

Kurama opens his eyes and glares at her. He catches a glance of his form and at least he doesn't look as ridiculous as he did with Naruto's clothes. It's simple but maybe with some more concentration he can add some embroidery of his nine-tailed fox self.

He lets a breath and returns to his original form. His mind relaxes at being without the strain of maintaining an unfamiliar body. He returns his eyes to meet Sophia's. "Just put your clothes on. We'll be leaving this place soon."

"Really? Using the car outside?" When he nods, she adds, "It's big but you'll be have to sit on our laps to get inside."

Kurama is halfway outside the room when he stops to consider her words as that's another thing he hasn't thought about it. He tries to picture himself inside that car with those humans, emotions smacking on his face with each meaningful look they send to each other. A shiver wants to make itself known. He stops it but it's a close call. He's going to have to think this through.

With a look over his shoulder, he sends a dirty look to the girl. She shrugs and they go downstairs.

* * *

In the end everything is easily resolved. They try to make him go inside the big vehicle but once he jumps on the roof box, or whatever is called, no one can stop him. The devise purpose is to hold luggage and the kind but the top is broken and useless. It's easy to take it off with a kick and make a seat of the other part. It's dirty and he'll need another bath again, but it's better than being inside the car.

They're doubtful at first, though considering Sophia doesn't put a fuss about it, even with all the reasoning they try to fill her with, they eventually sober and accept.

A slight application of chakra is all he needs to not fall off.

It's nice to feel the wind against his fur.

* * *

"It's Nine still alive?" Ben asks. Adam is the one next to window so he slowly opens it and puts half of his body out to take a look at what the fox is doing. He comes down rather quickly.

"This is weird but he's sleeping. I think."

"I've seen him sleeping most of the time. He does that often, doesn't he, Sophia?"

Sophia looks up to meet Donna's eyes, stopping her reading momentarily. "He says it helps him to regain his strength. So he tries to sleep as much as he can."

"… You do know he's a fox, right? Foxes don't—Ouch!"

Adam lowers his knuckles from the noogie he gave Ben to close the window. "He's pretty smart," it's the only thing he offers.

"He does know a lot of things. And likes to run the most."

Sasha makes a noise of agreement. "Maybe we could follow your example and go run with you two. Besides, no matter how much help Nine can offer, it's better to be more in case you need to fight."

"Though we've to admit he's a great help. He's saved Sasha that time we went for fuel so that fox has gained my respects."

Sasha punches lightly at his brother's arm. "He's a good asset, alright. Still, we now have a car to travel and enough fuel to last for two weeks, maybe. We need to do some exercise as to not loose shape."

"Well, we've enough water bottles but the map says there's a river near we should boil some more to fill the empty bottles." Donna nods to herself before smiling. "So it's decided we run together from tomorrow on?"

"Nine also makes me do other exercises, we can do that together, too!"

"Sure. In these times whatever advantages we can obtain is better in the long way."

* * *

Traveling on a car loses its fascination pretty quickly. But he can finally rest so that's a plus. He's also used to being in small, confined places so he doesn't have the urge to move as the humans in the group do. That means he spends most of the time on the car, even when the group stop to go out and stretch. He only touches the ground when he needs to train Sophia. Though by now she already knows which exercises she has to do, it's better if there's someone to check on her. Humans are fragile and a wrong movement can pull a muscle.

The others have started to follow her example, too. They've decided to do some of her training as to not get rusty now that they've to stay long hours without moving.

"Don't you want to come and run with us?"

Kurama looks down and gives Sasha a look. Lately the humans have taken a liking to talk him. They don't know he can understand them but still do. Perhaps this apocalypse has affected them more than what he stimated. When Sophia asked them, they just shrugged and said that, strangely enough, it doesn't feel weird to speak to him.

"You're going to go fat, you know," she chuckles, though there's a sad tone in her voice. She knows there isn't a lot of food and though they haven't seen Kurama eat food, they've seen the animals he sometimes brings.

Kurama huffs and closes his eyes, choosing to ignore her and search for a better position to meditate. He's getting stronger because of that and the chakra arm he can manifest now is more visible and solid than his first attempts. The downside is that it's hard to meditate while moving and there are few times the group chooses to stop the car and camp. This is one of them so he's been trying to take advantage of what little time he has.

Sashes sighs and leaves after she takes what she came for from the car.

* * *

It's hard to gauge the time that passes when he's in a meditation state so he doesn't know how long it has been since Sasha tried to talk to him. It could be minutes or hours. His mind is blank and emotions don't longer bother him. However, it's hard to ignore when the feeling is strong and directed at him.

Kurama opens his eyes and the first thing he notices is that it's midday; they came at night. The second is the odor of putrid flesh and death. There are walkers near but he can't see them. Nor he can see the group he's been with for a couple of weeks. However, he can hear the sounds of fighting and sense the worry Sophia's directing at him.

With a jump he's touching the ground and running. They choose to stop in a small town, hoping to find some food inside the houses and stores. They offered him to accompany them but Kurama needs to get stronger and for that he needs to rest so he didn't follow them. The walkers aren't that strong and are easy to deal, they don't need him. Though perhaps he should have sniffed the place first so he could've know if there were walkers around just in case.

A couple of minutes later and he's outside a big building. It looks like those schools Sophia's told him about and he feels dread when the smell becomes stronger. The sound of wood and metal hitting flesh is louder and Kurama follows it.

He really should have scouted the place first. He doesn't know how he hasn't noticed these larger numbers of walkers. Mostly kids but there are a couple of adults mixed in there. They're small and it should be easier to deal with them, but he can sees their reluctance and somehow knows that dealing with them is harder than if they were olde. He catches the sight an open door and immediately knows where they came from.

"Nine!" Sophia shouts when she sees him. There's relief in her voice but the sound has attracted a couple of walkers. He makes a mental note to list her what one doesn't do when fighting when all this is over.

He opens a path towards the others by killing the walkers near. In seconds, he's with them and helping. It's slow but they do manage to move away, trying to escape. It's hard; the number that surrounds them is large, after all. More than fifty, perhaps. He's just a fox to them so his abilities are reduced to what a fox can only do.

It's bothersome though. He always needs to restrain his strength, whatever little he regained, but it still takes a lot of concentration to not let his temper flare. He's lucky these walkers were previously kids and that they're small enough for him to reach their necks with ease.

"Shit!" Sophia hisses behind him and his lips tilt upwards because he knows her cursing is because of his influence. She's probably scowling at him because she knows that too. He turns to look over his shoulder, ready to send her a smirk if she's blushing, when he senses a familiar feeling. His body stops, it becomes tense and motionless. Like a statue, he's immobile, ignoring the movement going on around him. He can't bring himself to care when a walker bites him. Or the second that follows.

"Naruto?" he whispers. The feeling increases. It's a tug inside him that points at the direction the feeling is coming from. It's captivating and entrances him to follow. He turns his head to the left, thrilled by the sudden appearance of his own familiar chakra mixed with a warmth in it that's pure Naruto's.

He hears the echo of Sophia's voice and he blinks to see himself surrounded, four walkers biting him while the others are trying to get a piece of him. His hackles rise and he growls, rage manifesting outside of him in his chakra. Whatever skin that touches him hiss as it dissolves and they move away, some primal instinct telling them to escape, too ingrained for them to completely ignore. Chakra arms form to push them away as he prepares to bolt and follow his chakra.

"Nine!"

Kurama stops for a second time and glances at Sophia. He growls in frustration, his body wanting to follow. He stops it and runs towards her. He grows with what chakra he's saved, making him just a tad smaller than a horse, and moves next to her. "Mount," he says, pointing at his back with his nose.

The walkers are giving them a wide berth and she takes that advantage to hesitate, her hands gripping the weapon she obtained from one house. "What about the others?"

He doesn't completely hear her as the sensation he's got from Naruto using bijuu mode is waning. A distressed sound escapes his throat. "It's disappearing."

"What's disappearing?"

"Naruto. Naruto is that way. I need to go there."

He wants to just run towards the direction he knows Naruto is but he can't leave Sophia. He hasn't exactly promised her something but he can't leave her. But he really wants to go.

The walkers bevome bold and start surrounding them again. And they're now obstructing his view of the path he wants to follow. He opens his mouth. A small ball of energy forms, darkker than whatever color humans can create. A void of energy whose only purpose is to destroy.

It's a stupid move that surprises him he's doing, but at the moment he doesn't care. Though, on the other hand, is not so surprising considering who his current jinchuriki is.

The feeling he's got vanishes at the same time he lets out the bijudama. It's smaller from what a normal one is. Barely a sixteenth of its strength, but it decimates everything and creates a linear path.

There's a moment of silence until he takes a step forward and falls on his face.

"Well, that was stupid," he mumbles and his voice seems to have shaken Sophia from her shock as she moves to his side. He has a flashback of the first day he came into this world as his body slowly loses its form.

"Nine, are you—are you okay?"

She tries to place her hand on his body but it only manages to go through his skin. She gasps and her arm goes away in surprise. Kurama tries to get a grip of his form. It's hard so he reduces his height, making it more compact. His head turns towards the path he made. He really needs to rest and it seems this time he won't be able to ignore the urge. He tries to stand anyways.

"My friend is there. I need… I need to go there."

"Where?"

His consciousness is slipping off and he falls again even as Sophia tries to catch him. This wasn't his best idea but it always seems to work with Naruto, the no thinking things through. Why it doesn't work for him?

A hollow chuckle escapes him because he's not Naruto and doesn't want to be. It's obvious it wouldn't work for him. It barely works for Naruto. "Just—That way. South. Take me there."

"What about—Are you going to—"

He swallows and looks directly at her. She's not crying but her arms are trembling. "I need to rest. Just for a while."

"Nine? What's... Nine?!"

Fuck, he really shouldn't have throw that bijudama. Perhaps he's more worried than he thought.

"And I miss him," he croaks, eyes slowly skidding shut.

* * *

 

* * *

"Hey, Kurama, what do you want to do once the war is over?"

The fox opens one eye, not wanting to disturb his rest entirely. "Sleep before I knock you out, brat. That old hokage of yours told you to do it, didn't she?"

Naruto huffs, arms crossing as he takes a stubborn pose, though Kurama can read the slight anxiousness clearly on him. "I can't sleep."

"Nervous? Heh. That doesn't sound like the act-first-think-later Naruto I know."

"Yeah, I kno—Oi! Stop mocking me! I'm just… I just keep thinking in Madara and Obito and…"

Kurama lets out a breath that makes Naruto's hair and clothes to flutter. He knows where this is going. "We couldn't follow them."

"I know, but isn't it weird they retreated? I mean—"

"Don't over think it. Madara just obtained his body. He needs to acclimate first to his body."

"See! He was weak, we should have taken the opportunity to—"

Flicking the tip of his tail gently against his chest making him fall on his ass, Kurama stops him from continuing. "This so called Alliance needs rest, they can't keep going after those two maniacs without stopping. You too. You can't continue giving chakra as if it were candy."

Naruto looks up and his hand reaches the tail that's still in front of him. "You look tired, too. I'm sorry for—"

Another flick of tail. "Don't get all mushy with me, brat. We need all the help we can get. If they didn't have my chakra then they won't be more than cannon fodder."

"Yeah, yeah. What would we do without the Mighty Nine Tails, huh?" Naruto chuckles.

"Exactly."

There's a lapse of silence in which no one speaks and Kurama thinks it's over. He closes his eyes, trying to recover as much energy that he can.

"Hey, Kurama."

Kurama sighs and doesn't bother opening his eyes or acknowledging the words. Not even when he feels a weight leaning against his tail, a faint respiration against his fur that's warm and comforting. He really wants to smack Naruto across the seal. His tails is already preparing to use all its force in removing the leech on his tail.

"Let's show everyone how awesome we are tomorrow and end this war, okay? When they realize the hero you are, we can go to Konoha and we're going to have ramen together! The old man Teuchi will cook so much and… let's make that the first thing to do when all this is over, okay?"

Opening slightly his eyes to peer at the being lying on top of his tail, Kurama attempts to dissuade all the emotions coming from Naruto and the ones he feels inside him with, "Is ramen all you can think of, brat?"

He expects Naruto to shout and start ranting about ramen but he gives him a small smile, not like the big, toothy ones he uses when happy, but somehow it's brighter and warmer than those broader ones.

"I just really want to eat some ramen with you," he says, his face going to rest against the orange fur.

Kurama closes his eyes, enjoying the pleasant sensation of Naruto's emotions close for one long breath before he smacks Naruto towards the end of the seal with a flick of his tail.


	6. The Deal

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> He sometimes forgets how people don't need to be ninja to be shrewd. Civilians can be crafty and manipulative without special training. The Governor is a clear example and Sasuke's impressed despite himself.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N. Next chapter will finally be from Naruto's POV! yay! And the drabble/snippet/whatever-is-called will be from Sophia's POV. I already have half chapter so I think I can work in that idea I've been toying about what would happen if Obito would have lived.
> 
> Well, enjoy! And comment what you think of it.

"I want to make a deal with you."

Sasuke doesn't glance up to see if the Governor has startled or not. He's busy cleaning the blade of his sword. It annoys him that the man in front of him left it like he found it, coated on his own blood.

"So you're alive," he says. "I've to admit that after the second day, I thought you had died."

"You couldn't kill me so you waited and hoped for the best?"

"Well, you've to admit you were in a pretty bad shape. I don't know what you did to keep anyone from entering that room, but it was really effective."

This time Sasuke does look up. The Governor's posture is calm yet calculative; fake, diplomatic smile plastered on his face as he meets his eyes head on. He doesn't seem surprised that now they're black instead of the purple and red color he first saw when Sasuke woke up in this world, he merely takes a slight breath and moves towards him.

"So this deal you've mentioned, what's it about?"

Sasuke tilts his head and puts the cloth he was using to clean aside. "Done treating me like a child then?"

"You did incapacitate my men while injured. Who knows what you'll be able to do now that you seen better?"

Sasuke doesn't answer. The Governor doesn't seem the kind to compliment someone unless it'll benefit them. And he s going to trust his instinct. Perhaps it is Orochimaru's influence after years of training under him but Sasuke has grown to like verbal sparring matches. Subjugate someone using just words when he has the time to enjoy.

Currently, time is something he doesn't posses.

He places his sword oh top of the desk so he can use both elbows to lean forward. "I've seen the door of the house you offered. I've also seen the walls. I didn't have the keys to lock anything and was injured. And you tried to enter because of it but couldn't. Can you explain that?"

The Governor's lips thin. "What are you offering?"

"Your hospitality for my methods," he says. "That means: same thing I did to the room on the borders of this place. No monster will be able to enter. Doesn't matter how many they are."

The intrigue is clear on his face as he thinks. It makes Sasuke wonder what other methods the Governor has tried in order to enter. "And what's this _thing_ you're offering? How does it work?"

Sasuke leans back on the Governor's chair, lips curling slightly in a 'wouldn't you like to know?' gesture. The man still standing in front of him let's the question be, guessing now answer will come.

There's silence for long seconds until Sasuke raised an eyebrow, impatient at the time it's taking the other to think.

"You took me hostage and now want to make deals? That's amusing. I know this country is no longer what it used to be, but call me old fashioned for doubting the promises of a kidnapper."

"Let's be clear, Governor," Sasuke says, laidback attitude dropping as he stands. "I could kill all of you without problem. What am I offering is a way to coexist. I won't drop my guard as I'm sure you wouldn't, either. The deal give us benefits to both. However, if you cross it. If someone attempts to kill me after I completed my part, I won't have mercy."

The silence is deafening as they look at the other. Sasuke's eyes briefly turn red, using enough chakra for the change but not for the three tomoes to form. Even so, that small action tires him. Luckily the Governor looks away first and Sasuke can let the shaky breath out before the other notices.

He places the sword across his back with his good hand. That will be its place until he finds a better suited belt. He grabs the cane leaning against the wooden desk and gives a step aside. No longer standing behind the desk the Governor must have used before to let others know who was the leader. He wants to give the Governor some semblance of control. Desperate men's actions are easy to prevent but they're also dangerous.

Leaning on the cane so his height seems less imposing as he stands next to the Governor, Sasuke asks, "What would be your choice, Governor?

* * *

Sasuke gives the Governor three days for him to think about the proposition. Three days to let the others in command know about the deal. Three days for him to get used to his languid body.

He can't do anything too exhausting. Katas are out. As most physical conditioning. He's always taken advantage of his speed and all his fighting style depends in it so stretches are the only thing that would work so he doesn't loose his flexibility. Even if they're one of the easiest exercises, Assure still hurts whenever he flexes his muscles too fast. That alone speaks a lot of his current strength. It's humiliating how simple exercises to warm the body leaves him sweaty and shivering. The civilians are afraid of him. And while he doesn't care what they think of him, it'd be the bothersome to have to watch his back around the civilians too.

So he trains outside. Not something physical, of course. One thing is to make them less afraid; another is make them realize how weak he really is. He's still living in the house that was given to him. It's the same except now he uses the small guest room with no adjacent bathroom. And he'll continue to do so until he fixes the door of the other room. And that's where he exercises.

Outside, where the grass is not evenly cut like other houses, he mediates. That way he trains his chakra network and makes himself known among the other, at least in presence, while maintaining a perfect awareness of his surroundings.

His first day outside he felt two people aiming at him. They were well hidden but he made a point to look at them until they lowered their weapons, to make the Governor know he's always aware. They haven't agreed yet to anything so he lets it slide.

However, the second time they aim, he makes sure to throw two pens, one for each one, aiming at their hands and making sure no one besides them has noticed.

Most think only shinobis exude killing intent and that's a lie. Every action with some negative intent can be classified as killing intent. However, because they're not as potent, they're easy to ignore. One can learn to identify them even in animals if one trains for it.

And if he's learned something from Orochimaru, who most of the time only felt amusement whenever he attacked him, it's to distinguish even the smallest grain of killing intent.

That's why, on his second day, when his new guards try once to aim closely to his person, he guesses it was probably in curiosity, Sasuke glares at the direction where he felt the slight spike in killing intent until the other retreats. Then he closes his eyes again and continues meditating until the sun hides and the weather gets colder. That's when he goes back inside to continue the physical training.

It's not until the sky is completely dark and everyone is sleeping that he goes outside once again, making sure to not be seeing by his bored and tired guards.

He goes to the small library the doctor mentioned before. The language is written different so he grabs some books that are obviously meant to teach kids how to read. It's going to be a slow progress without the sharingan but not impossible. He's always been a fast learner.

* * *

"Your decision?"

This time the Governor is behind the desk, obviously trying to gain whatever little upper hand he can. It doesn't bother him; it's better to let him think he's the one in charge.

"It depends, are you going to explain what are you planning to do?"

Sasuke doesn't day anything and that itself is answer enough.

"How will we know that what are you trying to do will work?"

"Because I plan to complete my part of the deal first. When you see that it works, the ball will be in your court."

The Governor smiles. Is not a nice smile but one filled with condescension. "And what will stop me from killing you then?"

"I think the people you send to guard me already told you that the second someone plans to aim at me, I'll know. I restrained from killing because we hadn't agreed anything yet. If you accept and they try to aim, then… I won't stop."

The frown and slight red on his cheeks tells him enough. Sasuke lets a small smirk grace his face as he waits for the other speak.

"Yes, very gifted indeed you are," the Governor murmurs. His back relaxes, his tense posture is no more as he taps two fingers on the desk absently. The smile returns as he glances back at him again. "Let's add another clause to this deal, what do you think? As you probably don't know, let me inform you that here in Woodbury we're a close knitted community; we all work for its well-being. And, as it is, what kind of example would the others get if you have your own house and are admitted into our home after all the ruckus it happened when you woke up, um?"

Sasuke raises an eyebrow. "Stop the roundabout. What do you want?"

"Me? No, no. I'm just telling you everything would go more smoothly if you had a defined role to fill inside our community."

"You already have something in mind, I get."

"Well, you've shown all of us your prowess in combat and we've some people that could benefit from your experience. The younger especially. Most of them haven't seen what's outside."

He frowns. The Governor has seen what he's capable of, yet he wants him to socialize with his people? What's the purpose?

"You'll give me free reign of your people's training?"

"Of course not. This was something I had planed to do from some time. I had some candidates to give this task to. You'll work with them."

That's clever. He knows he won't be able to keep an eye on him If Sasuke stays inside the house all the time, even so… there's something else he's not seeing.

"If I do this, what do I get?"

_Because a house is not enough for me to do all this. And you know it._

"Well, we can give you a house but you still need electricity, water—the essentials. You can fight people and the biters, but what about the weather? Winter is coming and the nights are merciless without calefaction or a body to share warmth with."

His words ring true. However something doesn't feel right. The Governor pokes at sex in a way that's… It hits him then. When that _look_ is set upon him. The one he remembers his father giving when he was young and claimed to be ready for jutsus. Is not condescension. Not entirely. Bordering amusement, yes; the kind an adult can only give to someone younger.

He wants him to form bonds. The question is why.

Does he sees him as a tool he wants to wield? Most likely. But he's also young in his eyes and from what he's seen, people of his age are kept away from the affairs of this small town, shrugged off as inexperienced and immature. In the scale of power they're at the bottom, just above the little kids.

So… He probably sees him as a teenager who still looks for approbation and seeks connections, driven by hormones and impatience.

"How old are they?" he asks though he already guesses the answer.

"There are some close to your age, no need to worry. Others older, too, who don't know how to protect themselves."

"My age? How old do you think I am, Governor?"

"Well… you can pass as twenty. Are you finally going to give me some personal information? You haven't shared your name as of yet, after all."

He can use the Governor's bad judge of character to his favor.

Sasuke smirks in a way he knows will make him look like a brat. "I'm seventeen. I don't wish to give you my name but you can call me Uchiha. No need to worry, Governor, I accept the deal."

The Governor is less than happy. He sees it in the way his face tenses, becomes hard. A sneer wants to escape pass his lips. However, it's a smile the one greeting him. Next comes an extended hand for him to shake. Sasuke accepts it.

"What materials are you going to need?"

This time Sasuke is the one amused because fuuinjutsu is not known in this world and there's not enough ink for him to use. He has to make ink from scratch. Fuuinjutsu ink. What he's going to ask next will get him some raised eyebrows.

* * *

He sometimes forgets how people don't need to be ninja to be shrewd. Civilians can be crafty and manipulative without special training. The Governor is a clear example and Sasuke's impressed despite himself.

"We found ourselves in a time where desperation claws at us. Fear takes our mind and we do inconceivable acts in order to survive. If we start losing our morals now, what will be next? We won't need a bite to become monsters.

"This young boy behind me was injured when he woke up, found himself in a place he didn't know, surrounded by strangers. He panicked and did what he could in order to survive. After days of thinking about his actions, secluded in one of our empty homes, he came to me asking for forgiveness. His age was the one making him act so impulsive, without thinking in consequences. And I say, if we can't forgive the innocent, inexperienced youth, then it would mean _they_ , those monsters, this whole situation trying to bring us down, has won."

The Governor waits for the murmurs and grunts of agreement stop. Then he places a hand on top of Sasuke's shoulder in a supportive and slight condescending manner, continuing his speech about how they need to help the youth and the kind.

After Sasuke mentioned he needs ink to complete his part of the deal and that it'd take him two days to make it at least, the Governor offered his support on the deal by start completing his own part. He promised no weapons would be aimed at him and he's keeping his word by informing his people of him.

Though that doesn't mean he isn't doing his best to damage him in other less physical ways.

Public humiliation seems to be his favorite.

The Governor is a good actor; he has charisma. Not the same Naruto possesses that's one that leans more for honesty and empathy, but it's charisma nonetheless. Sasuke can see the sympathy towards him in some of the people surrounding them while smug smiles are shared between the soldiers. The ones he defeated now find amusing his leader is making him known to others as the foolish boy who needs the help of others.

"…He's offered his help to atone his actions. Some of you've seen how skilled he's in combat. And that's something good to know these days. I've been thinking for some time using some of our skilled protectors and hunters to pass some of their experience in combat to the ones interested, in the same way Doctor Stevens taught first aid to you. We live in a dangerous world now, we need to learn whatever that'll help us protect our family, friends—the community. Unfortunately, most of our people, who risk their lives constantly, are too busy for this task." He pats his shoulder twice and he's lucky Sasuke has enough autocontrol to not kill him where he stands. "However, with the help of this young man, that'll change."

The murmurs start again, this time louder. Sasuke ignores it as he senses something going on at his back. It's not the same feeling he gets when someone aims at him. There's no killing intent. There's nothing distinguishable but emptiness and death. The wind is going against him, brushing his hair away from his face, but his nose still picks the scent of discomposed, sick flesh.

He's spend enough time around Orochimaru's twisted experiments to not recognize that peculiar smell. A dead body is behind him.

Sasuke doesn't turn to look. The Governor's hand is still in his shoulder. He pats it once more before he walks forward, towards the center. It looks as if he's moving to have a better view of his people, but Sasuke is not stupid. He's walking away from him, to safety.

"But what kind of leader would I be if I just agreed without knowing, and showing you, the skills of our new would-be teacher? CV's don't matter now, so we need something else to test him, right?"

There's a long low groan coming from behind him. Sasuke doesn't tense. His posture is laidback. One hand tucked close to his chest, wood and bandage covering the damaged arm. The other is grabbing the cane as his legs are still weak because all the work he made them do to match the Kaguya's speed.

"I know it's early, but this a special occasion, isn't it? Let's start."

That's the only warning he gets are the sound of running feet. Battle instincts make him sidestep as the body moves past him, stumbling. The thing tries to turn around but a shove with the cane pushes him to the ground. It tries to stand up but Sasuke pins his head with the end of the cane. It still tries.

Sasuke leans down, to inspect it as he places the cane under his upper arm. He grabs the back of its head to check the pale face. Yellow, unfocussed eyes meet his. There's no nose and the hair is dirty and greasy. Half of the cheek is falling and the upper lip is nonexistent. The lower jaw is broken, teeth missing.

Biters, they call them. Easy to get infected. He understands now.

He lets it go, wanting to know its abilities. If the Governor wants him to teach others how to fight them, he needs to know what they can do.

The biter pushes itself forward, trying to jump towards him, arms attempting to grab him. He noticed its hands and he clutches its wrist, bending it behind its back as to not let him turn around. It tries to bite him but its head is too far away.

The tip of the fingers are cut off, he notices.

Sasuke ponders what to do next, how to finish it. He could use his cane, but he currently uses it to walk and he doesn't want to break it. He shoves the biter forward again and uses the space to take his sword out from his back.

It doesn't get to turn around as Sasuke slashes twice. Both arms fall to the ground. The biter staggers but doesn't stop. He makes another slash on its stomach, intestines joins the arms. He sniffs once. The organs haven't gotten too bad. Whatever the infection is doing it isn't enough to stop the body from working, it seems, though that doesn't mean they aren't decaying. Probably the only thing making it moving is the brain.

The biter falls to its knees, some organs are dangling. Sasuke tilts his head, slightly amazed that it keeps moving towards him, not caring about the lack of body parts. It just wants to eat him. It's like an Edo Tensei go wrong. It groans once more and Sasuke cuts the middle of his head, where the brain is.

It's seems that's all, he thinks as the body falls as if the strings holding it up have been cut. He puts his sword to its place to use the cane again. He walks to where the top part of the head went and grabs it. It's not a healthy pink with a slight reddish tone. It's dark, sick gray.

He's not a scientist and never want to be one, but he's been trained by one and, despite himself, he feels a curiosity that's born by having to check experiments during his breaks from training. A morbid curiosity that wants to know what happened.

It's not strong though and he easily shrugs it off and looks away, towards the Governor. He's smiling. It's not a pleased smile, but an empty one made for business. The claps and roars of the people are easy to ignore but not that disturbing smile that sees him as if he were an object he's gained.

Sasuke doesn't smile or bow to acknowledge the others, choosing to stand tall, waiting. His eyes roam the sea of faces, memorizing and searching for any distinct gestures—categorizing the possible threats. He can't use the sharingan but his eyesight is still good.

The Governor walks to stand next to him when the claps subside and exclaims, "Let's welcome our new member: Uchiha."

He ignores the next announcements and doesn't talk until everything is over.

"I'm going to need that body," he says, loud enough for the Governor to hear.

The Governor looks at the dead biter. "What for?"

"Hide glue."

* * *

Sasuke's no seal master. He can't wield seals and make them crawl as bugs with a snap of his fingers towards his enemies or draw complex seals on the fly, able to counteract and disarm an attacker as Orochimaru told him the Uzumaki clan could in battle. Fuuinjutsu is not easy to learn as it's always been more of an esoteric study than a science. Even if there are still techniques and procedures, it's not consistent. _One needs to_ feel _them_ , or so the Uzumaki said, _give the right power to the words._

He doesn't understand that. That's why he can't create new formulas and is barely able to understand them. However, there were two methods Orochimaru used to instill patience in him. One was meditation; the other were seals.

Thanks to his sharingan he can recreate them exactly as they were shown to him, but his own replications have never been as powerful as Orochimaru's or even Kabuto's. He's not gifted making them and sometimes he wonders if Naruto, with his Uzumaki blood, has that gift.

Still. He can draw working seals and that's enough. Besides, he doesn't think these people are going to need a really powerful barrier. One that can do what he needs to is plenty.

"Here's the blood, kid," a man called Martinez says, giving him a bucket with barely disguised distaste.

He looks inside and grimaces. Sometimes having a good nose is not good. The blood is more solid than liquid at this point; coagulated. It'll be harder to work with it but not impossible. He glances at where the skin he cut from the biter is boiling with some blood, almost ready, before continuing crushing the coal he got from them.

Is not going to be quality ink, but it'll work. He knows that to make a barriers against someone, _something_ , one needs to get as much of the sample you can get mixed with the ink. There are ways to do it with a more complex seal and just a drop of blood but he doesn't think he can make it. The one he's currently planning to do is complex enough. Four seals placed in the exact cardinal points of the place to ward and one, a more complex one, at the center to sustain the other four.

It'd be easier if he was alone, but there are three people guarding him while he does everything currently. Merle, Martinez and a woman called Rowan. Plus Milton. The researcher guy seems to be interested in his work after the Governor explained him what he's set to accomplish. Apparently, he got really curious when he heard no one could enter his room after all the unexplained methods they used. He's tried to talk to him about whatever he's doing but after no receiving answers, he's stopped, content to just watch.

When every 'ingredient' is ready, he puts them inside a pot with what remains of the biter's blood, stirring the mix gently with a chakra-conducting kunai. Already knowing that trying to incorporate his own chakra is going to take a while to accomplish.

* * *

 

"So, what are you going to do, some kind of black magic?"

It's the woman who talks. Milton is busier trying to write in his small notebook all the scribbles he's doing on the floor. They haven't say anything while he was writing the other four as he was quick to finish and move to the next but with this one he needs to be careful and their patience seem to have reaching its limit.

Without his sharingan to give him a mental picture of the seal and the exact movements they were used, he needs to rely on his memory. It's good, almost photographic even. But it's not perfect. And the one he's making is the central that will power the others and is where the main function is written. This one is important.

"Shut up," he says quietly. It's the first phrase he's said in hours but he doesn't want to loss concentration. The ink is thicker than he's used to; the brush is not one of good quality and he's using his chakra to keep the strays bristles from painting where they don't need to. However, now masking the seal is more of pride than because of the deal. He needs to prove to himself he doesn't need the sharingan to do everything.

He finishes a large glyph around the matrix that's meant to sustain the seal and not make explode everything inside. Then two more so it'll be able to let the air go in and out. Before he finishes with what he doesn't want to enter: the infection.

A small sigh goes past his lips. He closes his eyes and sits back on the ground, posture slouching as he tries to stop the dizziness that comes from using his chakra into the brush. He stays that way for a couple of long minutes until he's sure the ink is dry. He can feel the curiosity around him but he ignores it.

Suddenly, he sits straight again. Doctor Milton is the one that startles the most, his notebook slipping from his hands. Sasuke catches it. Not to be kind. He just doesn't want his work to be damaged.

"Thanks," he says, receiving his notebook with a breath of relief. "So, um, that's it?"

"No."

Sasuke grabs a kunai from one of the pockets in his pants and slashes part of his palm, deep enough to make some blood pour, not more. He taints the other hand with it and presses the now bloody palm against the dry seal, using his chakra to activate it. The seal glows faintly and he can feel it sucking his chakra to reach the other four more seals. Once he reaches them, he can hear a soft 'click' inside his head. Then there's a barrier standing around the town. It's not really notorious but if one is looking at the sky or one has a greatly developed peripheral view, then it's hard to not miss it.

Luckily it only stays there for a couple of seconds before it flickers out of view.

He hears some gasps as he clutches the cane to stand up. The gazes of his guards are up to the sky, trying to catch a glimpse of what they've seen.

It's Merle the one that notices him first. "Where ye goin, kid?"

"My part of the deal is done."

"Ye still need to go to the Governor for the teachin stuff."

"Two days from now." He looks over his shoulder. "He knows where to find me."

He keeps walking away, ignoring how Merle repeats his words in a mocking tone loud enough for him to hear. He obviously wants to taunt him and make him loose his calm for defeating him twice. But Sasuke doesn't care for his wounded pride. His legs are trembling and he's leaning more weight on the cane than he should. He needs to return to the house quickly and to pass out for a couple hours.

* * *

**Naruto**

* * *

"Kami, if you're here, in this world, I want to thank you."

Forget what he said about Lady Luck. Yeah, sure, she can be a bit of a bitch sometimes. But this is one of the moments when he realizes just how awesome she is. Or can be. Whatever.

With a grunt, he puts more strength in his actions as the bag between his hands refuses to open. At least his hands don't tremble as they used to a week ago and that's an improvement. They're still weak though and his muscles aren't as strong and solid as before. He knows that if he digs a finger on his leg, softness will greet him.

A loud sounds comes from the plastic bag and he gives a small shout of triumph. He looks at his prize with a silly smile. The smell of food is glorious and he can feel his mouth water. His throat constricts as he fantasies eating all the contents. It's as if his hunger has increased.

They're just nuts but to him they're the best to have ever existed. And Naruto really wants to just shove the food inside his mouth and eat. But he can't. He's spend weeks without eating, only drinking the slightly acidic rain that fell. If he eats as much as he wants to, he'll throw up.

Even so he eats a mouthful, slowly munching, tasting every bit. He may have moaned once or twice as he slowly swallows. He puts some more food into his hand and repeats the process, before grabbing the water bottle next to him. He drinks some and then sighs contently.

Luck really is on his side if he's fallen on the top of some store. There are bags he can use to carry what he needs. And maybe there's some ink he can use to make storage scrolls. If there scroll here, that is.

Overall, this world seems more evolved, technologically speaking. And he's already thinking in all he can take from here. Maybe all. He doesn't know what awaits him and it's better to be prepared.

"Maybe the other's need supplies so it's better to be stoked," he mumbles, hoping the others aren't lonely. They've spend so long that way already. He sighs. "Though both of their social skills suck. I hope they haven't killed anyone yet."

He rubs his hair with both hands in exasperation. "Let's see, Sasuke went east and Kurama northwest. If I go to Kurama first, Sasuke might kill whoever he finds if they piss him. If I go to Sasuke then Kurama might accidentally destroy stuff." He glances towards the wall at his left, looking intently from where he came from as if there was nothing to impede his sight. "They're smarter so they must be trying to go to where the portal appeared. Yeah, that sounds as something they would do. So I should go there."

He takes some time to bask in the good idea he just had before returning to his food. After all, first he needs to eat, though he'll have to wait for his stomach to process the food before he eats more. Then he'll leave to search for the others. Kurama is probably worried even if that fuzzbutt would never admit it. Sasuke's most likely annoyed at him and will try to kick his ass so he needs to train.


	7. The shinobi and the girl

The store has a big name on the front though he can't read what it says. There are some green tents and dead bodies with green suits similar to his orange jumpsuit, now destroyed thanks to his fall. He's wearing clothes he's found inside the store. The only thing orange was a shirt at the back that's one size too small for him but it still fits comfortably. It's been getting colder so he tries to prepare for the change of weather.

He's terrified of taken the boots of a dead body but they're his size and they seem warm. His chakra won't help him to stabilize his internal warmth so he's on his own. He still apologizes to the dead and prays for his ghost to not come for him. Then, Naruto leaves with a too full back pack filled with the important things and everything else inside paper seals. He hopes the plastic he used to protect them will be enough against the rain and all kind of situations.

There are a couple of buildings next to the store but he wants to walk northeast instead of west, where he can see a city close. He has a hunch that tells him to avoid cities altogether and when he closes his eyes, he can sense coming from the city a trail of sadness and desperation—fear.

But everything is faint. There are no people there, he knows.

His body is still aching so he walks instead of running.

* * *

 

"I think I saw that tree before."

He circles the mentioned tree and sure enough, there's the mark he made with his kunai a couple days ago.

He's probably lost. And the worst thing is that he knows why it keeps happening. He still knows which direction he must go but this place is so different from home and he can't help but investigate whenever he reaches a new town. They're always empty and cold; it's obvious the people left quickly and barely grabbing the essentials and left everything else behind. There are family photos and plates with food on tables, mold growing on top. It's sad, really. He's never been a religious kind of person and he doesn't know if the Shinigami reaps the soul in this world, but he prays anyways for the dead bodies he finds, hoping they find peace wherever they go.

Sometimes, he hears strange sounds, footsteps and the like and he always goes to them, thinking they're the survivors who live in this world. They never are but Naruto is hopeful he's going to find what happened here. He hasn't encountered one yet but he's sure he will, soon. However, so far those zombies are the only ones he finds. And he can't completely avoid them as they usually frequent the most interesting places. His chakra control is ruined so he can't do the tree climbing exercise but his stealth skills, gained by years of running from the ANBU, are still top notch and those don't need chakra.

Not that he doesn't have chakra. On the contrary, he has more than enough to give and spare.

Sighing, he wonders how the others are faring as he guesses the contrary must be happening to them. Sasuke is probably the most used to being without too much chakra as most of his Justus were the kind that drain and to have the well sized pool he has now, he probably has trained himself to chakra exhaustion. The same can't be said about Kurama however; being made if chakra and all. He's probably never been with so little chakra. And Naruto knows Kurama must be with little reserves because _he_ can feel the power within him that's not his entwined with his own and Its almost all Kurama's.

Naruto is worried.

Leaning against the tree, Naruto thumps his forehead against the bark, fingers trailing the faint seal on his navel. He remembers clearly the time Kurama was pulled out of him and into the Gedo Mazo, remembers feeling the chains around his neck, a ghost pain that came entirely from Kurama's as he was yanked away from the neck. _Like a Band-Aid,_ he thinks, _quickly ripped off as to not make it hurt_.

Not that it worked that way. Naruto remembers falling, breathless and dizzy as the emptiness wanting to swallow him whole, engulfed his entire body in pain.

It hurt. It hurts now, too. And he only knows that it's the presence that's been always with him, that he misses. Though he can help but be grateful towards Kurama as he knows that without the bijuu shoving his power inside him, Naruto would have died. Perhaps not from the extraction, but for the lack of healing abilities Kurama's chakra has that's made his stomach be remade constantly these last weeks he wouldn't have been able to move. He'd have died from hunger without it.

Even so, he never wanted to feel Kurama's chakra, so entangled with his own, being ripped that way again, but it happened a second time now. And Naruto to feels so uncomfortable in his own skin, as if it was too big for him, like a stuffed animal whose filling has gone missing and it no longer has the consistency to sit upright. Now, he has to be careful with every step he takes, afraid he will fall flat on his face with a step badly taken from his part. And it's _so_ weird to feel full and at the same time empty, but he's no other words to describe what feels and he's never been too good at explaining.

The current problem now is that, without his friend's presence, the chakra is too wild for him to control. And dangerous. There's an always an excess that makes his skin tingle, a buzz of energy constantly coming from him, wanting to tear it from its bonds away and be free.

Something tells him that if Old man Sage hadn't give him his power, he'd have exploded. Humans don't seem to be made to hold a bijuu's power without them to work as an outlet.

"I really want to see how Kurama's doing." Fingers clench on the only orange shirt he found inside that store and he closes his eyes, attempting to brush the link he still can feel between Kurama and him. It's a faint, fragile thread but it's the only thing he has that connects them. He's been trying to follow it, but with his power as wild as it is, he can't even manage to grasp it.

He huffs in exasperation. His forehead meets the bark of the tree and he takes a deep breath before concentrating in the Nature around him. He can't get into a proper Sage mode with his chakra control as it is but he can still connect with the world around him, even if faintly.

At least, it's enough to let him pass the excess of power into the grass under his shoes and the trees around him so he can regain at least an ounce of control to attempt a hold for the link. Not that it works. The amount his control lets him transfer into Nature is never enough. However it is sufficient to stop his body from feeling like it's going to explode sometime soon anymore. And that's always a plus. Also, that second lets him feel the presence of those around him for at least a couple meters. There's an odd feeling he gets from those zombies but he doesn't have the control to properly try to understand what's going on inside their bodies. He merely senses where they are briefly.

He presses his right hand on the tree and it twitches. He brushes a thumb against his palm and it's good he can still feel his connection to Sasuke. Naruto mostly uses it to check on him to make sure he's not going into a killing spree or something, though most of the time he doesn't feel anything but annoyance from his end. But that's Sasuke to you so no surprises there. He doesn't know if the bastard can feel the emotions he sends through that link but he's been trying to send the equivalent of a cheeky grin every time he checks on him.

That done, Naruto stands straight and rolls his shoulders, stretching his whole body until loud pops fill the air. He moves a hand to fix his backpack into a better position as he watches his surroundings. It's quiet in the park. The grass is tall that was once slightly gray is now greener thanks to his chakra; more alive. There are no chirps or any other clue nature is awake but it's as if the park has taken a deep breath and can relax.

The town is small, too; just a couple of cabins and houses. There's nothing in there. Not even zombies. Naruto distracts himself looking around and marveling at some constructions. He find some stores but most are empty or with just a few items in their stands. He even finds a bowl of something that looks like instant ramen that makes his eyes shine. He hides it into a separate and empty storage seal to save it in case of celebrations.

Saving the ramen, he thinks in Ichiraku and he wonders how everything is going back in his own world. He closes his eyes and finds his friends there. They're tired but content in his mind, grieving the dead and celebrating the victory. He knows it'll take time before they can stand again but he's sure they'll be able to do it. They're no longer alone; they've the help of the other villages. Together, they'll be able to put themselves together.

* * *

 

The town is bigger this time and Naruto finally finds a couple of maps in one store that once sold magazines and newspapers. He doesn't know where he is until he recognizes the same scribble of a name on the map at a street. At least the words looks similar enough. He uses it to navigate thanks to the icons on some spots of the map. He doesn't want to go to what he guesses is the library, but something tells him he needs to. He hopes there are books with pictures he can understand because he can't read zilch. His next stop will be the hospital.

* * *

 

The library is almost empty. The building he guesses is the Academy of the town not so much. He manages to go inside the library without being noticed and kills eight zombies. There are some good books. It's too bad he is no longer capable of making hundred of Shadow Clones without them exploding. Now he has to be happy with making twenty with eleven looking as sick as his normal clones in the Academy looked. Well, at least nine work.

It takes him three days to sort most of what he thinks is interesting inside some storage seals. The place is not so big and he's counting his lucky stars for that.

Going outside is when everything goes downside. Apparently, his screams of frustrations were heard by some zombies because there are a great number of them close to the doors.

Just great.

* * *

 

The hospital is equally frustrating. There are less zombies, true, but he doesn't know what each medicine they are for or what he should take.

He takes everything he can.

* * *

 

Sleeping inside those machines with wheels are quite comfortable when he is on the road and there's no town near. He's trying to make the rasengan work but he can advance from the first exercise Ero-sennin taught him. When he tries to do it with a clone, it explodes on his face. After an hour of trying he has to let his arm rest for a couple of hours to let the burns in his hands heal.

He tries not to use the food he's found when he can hunt and eat but sometimes he's really hungry and his hand too bad to even grab a kunai steadily—He can't continue like this. It's true he's always been impatient, the only time he can be still is when he meditates and he can no longer do that properly thanks to his wild chakra.

It's probably time to start from zero. Some chakra controlling exercises should help.

* * *

 

The leaf burns immediately after touching his forehead. He's shoved backwards a couple meters whenever he tries to stick to a tree, destroying some of the bark in the process. He doesn't even want to try walking on water with how cold it is.

This is going to take some time.

* * *

 

Naruto's probably been without human contact in quite some time. Ever since he came into this world. The only human interaction he gets it's sometimes from Sasuke whenever he annoys him too much. Kurama's link is weaker and peaceful; he's probably resting.

Naruto should probably not be constantly prodding at those links but he feels so scared at the silence that surrounds him. It remind him of his days when he was young and he was alone inside his small room orphanage, waiting for the food to be left on his table by the matron before she left with a quiet demand of 'Stay here'.

At least there are no stares this time.

* * *

 

It's by the week of walking alone that he hears the ruffle of leafs behind him. A kunai goes to his hand the next instant, ready for anything. There are no burns on his skin so he's prepared. Even so, he goes cautiously towards the sound.

He tries to catch the scent with his nose but there's no putrid smell coming from the direction the sound comes from. His nose is not of an Inuzuka but his senses have always been sharper than a normal ninja. Also, that scent that comes from those zombies are really strong so he should be able to catch it.

There's another sound and Naruto shrugs. Best to check. His nose is not that good, anyways.

He approaches. The sound is clearer; there's a fight going on near. Naruto looks from behind some bushes and sees a little girl being attacked by one zombie. He doesn't think twice as he goes to help her. A kunai goes straight to his hands, ready and in position to go through his head. The zombie makes a last choking sound before it crumbles to the floor and the girl falls backwards on her butt.

Naruto makes sure the zombie is not going to stand up again before he turns around. The girl's eyes are shadowed by a dirty blue and white cap so he can't see her eyes. But he can see her two small ponytails, her skin slightly lighter than his own and the arm she clutches tight against her chest.

He doesn't want to scare her but he can see some red on the arm she's trying to hide. Naruto kneels, trying to be at her eye level as much as he can before he speaks, signaling her arm, "Are you fine?"

The girl's head looks up and he catches brown, tired eyes. She hesitates and he can see some fright in her expression. Naruto smiles reassuringly while scratching the back of his head. "I'm not good like Sakura is with this stuff but I do know some first aid. My name's Naruto by the way, ninja extraordinaire and future Hokage. What's yours?"

"Clementine," she answers, some reluctance in her voice but her posture relaxes slightly at his smile and the grip on her arm loosens. Naruto is able to peek better the damage and he frowns at how serious it looks.

"Well, nice to meet you, Clementine." He points at her arm again with a small smile. "That looks like a nasty bite."

Her whole body tenses. "It's a dog bite, I swear. I've not been bite by them. I've not."

Naruto blinks again not sure what's put her on edge. "Okay? I was just saying because it looks pretty bad. Do you want me to take a look at it? Bites can become a dangerous problem if they're at least not disinfected."

Or that's what he remembers Kiba saying when he asked why they had to put shots to the ninken and other animals.

Clementine seems confused and she warily shows him her arm. "It needs to be cleaned and stitched. I know how; I've seen it, but I don't have the stuff to do it."

"You know first aid? That's amazing for someone so young! I think I learned the basics when I was fifteen and only because Sakura strapped me to a chair and threated me to beat me purple if I didn't hear her lessons. How old are you, Clem? Can I call you Clem?"

Clementine smiles at his ramble as she watches him look for the kit he's put inside the backpack in case he saw someone in need of help and couldn't bother to search for the right paper he packed the other things in.

"I don't mind. Most called me called me Clem. I don't know how long has it been since the dead attacked but I think I must be ten."

It sends a pang through his heart to know someone doesn't even have recollections of the date.

"You mean those zombies? It's not been long since they appeared?"

She gives him a weird look as Naruto puts a bottle that smells of peroxide, some bandages and a needle on top of his knees. There's only fish wire for him to use but that's enough for now.

"A couple months, I think. You… don't know?" she says quietly and Naruto can see something old in her eyes, something worn-out. He wonders what she's seen to have those eyes. It reminds him of the ninja in the war, in a way, Drained and barely optimistic.

"Well, I'm kind of new here. I think it's been a couple of weeks? I was injured and had to stay in one place for too long. Just have been able to walk three days ago."

Naruto scratches a cheek. Clementine follows the movement and her eyes stay on his whiskers-like Mark's for a long second. "Oh. That explains why you weren't weird out by…" she lifts her arm before signaling to the dead body that attacked her previously. "When they bite you, they infect you and then you turn into them."

"What, seriously? Like zombies?"

"Yes, kinda. But I swear this bite was from a dog's. I found some food and he attacked me to get the can. It's not from _them_."

She's panicking, Naruto realizes. She's afraid of what would happen if he thinks she's been infected. It makes him wonder what she's seen others do to the infected.

Naruto gives her his brighter smile. "Don't worry Clem. I've seen lots of dog bites and I know yours is one. Though I'm curious, is there no cure?"

She hunches and looks down, head shaking. "I wish there was. My friend… I had to—I had to," she finishes biting her lips, her gaze not moving upwards. Naruto sees her loneliness in her posture and her tone and it remind him of his old self, away from the other kids, always wondering if there'll come a time someone will want to play with him. He wants to help her, but he doesn't want to scare her off with physical contact, doesn't know if she'll react badly to a hug.

So he rests a hand on top of her cap, using some of Kurama's soothing chakra to calm her and speaks with all the sincerity he can muster. "I don't know how this world works, Clem. I'm really new here. Would you like to team up with me, I think we could really use some help."

She looks up, a small frown between her eyebrows. "I can take care of myself. Lee—Lee taught me how to."

"I bet. You look more mature than I was at your age, though I was kind of a brat. But the thing is, it's always better to have someone to rely onto. I don't like to be alone and I've discovered that friends is sometimes all you need."

Her eyes are watering but she doesn't cry. She gives a tiny nod of acceptance and a small smile. "I'd like to."

"Yosh! Then better we heal up that wound and then eat something. You look hungry, Clem." Naruto smiles brightly as he takes gently her hand and starts. "Oh! And you could help me figure out what the things I have in my pack are. I kinda woke up in a giant store and grabbed all I could."

She gives him another odd look before she says, "Sure."

"Naruto and Clem against the world! Fear us, cheap zombies, we'll destroy you!" He lowers his hand with the wet gauze. "Oh, uh, this will probably hurt. I'll try to be gentle. So unless you cry nothing will happen."

"Unless I cry? Why?"

"Because then I cry."

She didn't look so reassured anymore but he's done this twice with Sakura before. Though it's always been with an injured animal and he always ended a trembling wreck. Great, now he's nervous.

* * *

 

"You said you're a ninja, how so?"

"How so? I went to the Academy, of course. It was such a drag and I was always pulling pranks but now I'm one of the best ninjas in my village!"

Clementine gives him a look. "You went to the Academy to become ninja?"

"Yup. I was the best on trap setting and stealth. Not so much on everything else."

Naruto thinks he hears her mumbling a confused 'trap setting?' before she asks, "You're out of the Academy then? Do you miss it?"

Grimacing, Naruto looks to the side, away from Clementine. "Do you?"

When he hears no response he looks down at her.

"Clem?"

"I do miss it. I had a couple friends in there. And we always went to lunch together to eat and play… It was fun." She adjusts her cap before looking up at him with a small smile. "I don't miss Math, though."

"Tell me about it."

They're quiet for a couple of minutes until Clementine asks, "And what else do they teach you in a ninja Academy?"

* * *

"Really?"

"Yeah, so now I'm worried about Kurama, he's the one who must be the worse of us. I mean, I don't care if my chakra control is shot off its axis. Though I do feel like some kind of time bomb, sometimes." He grabs one leaf that's falling and presses it against his forehead. Not a second later, it explodes. "Yep, chakra control sucks."

Clementine takes a step away from him but Naruto can see it's mostly for humor than because of actual fright. "You said he got bigger when he received, um, his both parts? Does that mean now that you've most of his power, he's small?"

Naruto stops dead on his feet and regards Clementine with a serious look. "I've not thought about it. He's probably really, really small," he murmurs, frowning as he looks towards the direction Kurama flew away.

"Are you okay, Naruto?" He nods absently which doesn't seem to satisfy Clementine. "What are you thinking about?"

Blinking, he finally looks down at the small girl walking next to him. It's been a couple of day but Clementine is already loosing around him. He's not one for silence but Clementine is and he respects that. "I was just wondering how much time I'd have to hug tiny Kurama before he gets big and stomps me into oblivion."

Clementine giggles in the way little girls can only do.

"Want another story in which I save the day?"

"Is there going to be Sakura there, too?"

Naruto tilts his head, his hand going under his chin in mock thought. "Sure! Most of those stories involve her hitting me in some way but she's always badass."

She nods. "I wanted to be a doctor so she does sounds like an amazing doctor."

"She is! And damn strong, too."

* * *

 

"You want to do what?"

Naruto nods, he's trying to take a bite of a couple of birds they hunted but their skin is not as tender as he reminds it to be. "Yeah. I want to help whoever I can while searching for my friends. And then see what I can do after I reunite with them. Then we'll try to look for a way to go back to our home."

"Like a comic book hero."

Now is Naruto's time to be confused. "What?"

"It doesn't matter. Do you have some idea how to do that?"

"Well, I was thinking of looking for a secure place first and then maybe do something like the village's walls of my home. That way the zombies couldn't enter. But some place secure enough to help people will suffice for now."

Clementine nods. "I don't know if there are secured places big enough for what you want. Maybe some secluded town or a fabric."

"I've some maps maybe you can help me search for good places? I can't read the language so I don't know what it says." Naruto opens his backpack, searching for the maps he put a couple days before. "I got them from the library. This world is big, I tell you."

"Um, that's another thing. Probably you shouldn't say you're a ninja. There are no ninjas here unless they're make-believe."

Naruto frowns. "Ninjas don't exist? There is no one with the kind of powers I have here?"

She shakes her head. "You'll probably sound crazy or scare some people if they see what you can do," she says looking at the scorch mark he made in one of the trees while trying to tree climb again.

Naruto remembers the towns he visited with Ero-sennin. The ones that didn't have any ninjas around or they were uncommon. He recalls how they moved away from them, scared about the feats they've been told they were able to commit. If this world is like one of those towns then he can understand. He wants to help people not scare them away.

"I understand," he says, giving Clementine the maps. "Just in case of emergencies then."

"Just in emergencies."

She receives them and smiles at him before opening the papers.

* * *

"Not close to the cities."

"Okay."

"Possibly near to some lake."

"Okay."

"If you can find any close to from where I separated from my friends that would be awesome."

"I'll try, though I'm not good with maps. Do you know where we are?"

"Uh, I think we're close to… here?"

* * *

"There's one cotton factory that looks big around here. There's a prison here and a farm there. Those are the closest, what do you think?"

"The farm is too open. The cotton factory, I don't know. Its walls don't sound too reliable. The only prison I went was pretty safe and easy to protect. Not to mention there must be cells for the prisoners and we can use them as rooms. There must be a kitchen and nursery. It's probably better equipped. The downside is that all the people inside must have been turned so it must be pretty infested."

Clementine looks at him, clearly expecting his decision, "So…"

Naruto sighs. "The prison it is."

"So we go around this direction?"

"Yeah, we've to eventually find it. Maybe we can get someone to help us read the map better in the way."

"So east?"

"Well, it looks that way."

* * *

Naruto still tries to contact with the others and train on his chakra control. Clementine always looks when he does that, curious on his process. She hasn't said much of her past but he can see it's affected her deeply. He's never been too good at lying so he doesn't try to hide anything. She seems to take comfort on that because sometimes she imparts him with some lessons his friend Lee gave her. Or some moments she shared with his parents.

She's smart though, sometimes eerily so. Not in a genius kind of way but in the kind of way one gains from experience. It's scary because she's just ten years old. But she's a good kid.

"Did you hear that?" she asks lowly, looking at him from the corner of her eyes before looking at the meat they've been trying to fry. "Walkers?"

Naruto shakes his head and shrugs. He can smell anything but that can be because of the faint smoke. "Maybe they're people attracted by the food?"

She looks at him dubiously, but they both decide to quench the fire off with dirt, until there's no smoke coming from their campfire.

"Hide inside the tent."

They've already discussed how things will work in these kind of cases so even if she protested at first, she doesn't at the moment. She hides.

The sounds are nearer and Naruto tenses. The familiar scent comes at the same time he sees two zombies walking forward without arms and jaw. They stumble towards them but Naruto's too dumbfounded at the sight and he doesn't think as he throws a kunai into one of their brains.

There's a familiar sound of metal and it's thanks to the constant fights he's had with Sasuke that makes him ready for the sword.

"I don't want to fight," he says at the woman in front of him that reminds him of Karui. She's wearing a hoodie that smells like the zombies but he gets the feeling she's not one of them. There's another behind with a similar hoodie holding the weird weapon Clementine named gun, blonde like him.

"You were the one who killed my walker."

"Hey! You're the one that scared me with the zombies!" Naruto stops his shouts, his kunai is still in front of him as he still tilts his head. "What the zombies are for, anyways?"

The blonde is the one that answers. "They mask our scent."

"Oh, that's smart." Naruto lowers his kunai, but his posture never leaves its readiness even as he scratches the back of his head. "I'm sorry, I didn't know. My name's Naruto."

There are long seconds of silence before the Karui-look alike speaks, not lowering her sword. "Michonne. She's Andrea."

"Uh, well, nice to meet you?" He looks down at the food they were cooking. It's enough for four, he decides before smiling at them. "So! Do you want to eat with us? We've enough for all and the more the merrier, as they say."

Michonne raises an eyebrow. "We?"

"Yeah. You're hungry, right?"

There's another long silence before Andrea lowers her gun and takes a step forward, explaining. "You said 'us' and 'we', I only see you here."

Naruto blinks. He looks towards the tent. "Clem, they don't seem like bad people."

The girl comes out and gives a small smile. "Hello. My name's Clementine."

* * *

**Sophia**

* * *

Her mother always read her fairy tales when she was small. Every night, she would sit next to her pillow and read with a smile on her face, telling her about the stories of princes rescuing princesses and how pretty they looked and how good they were. Her mom called her princess and Sophia always told her she was a pretty queen and not bad like the one in stories; she was the best. Then she would put her doll next to her, the same she won on that circus and was kissed because of it on both cheeks by mom and dad.

 _"_ _Sweet dreams, princess,"_ she would say. And then soon after she closed the door, Dad would come and ask for food and everything will go quiet.

Sometimes she knew mom didn't want to read her stories but she always did and Sophia never stopped her because she wanted to know what would happen next.

Sometimes mom would cry silently and Sophia would pretend to fall asleep quicker because her mom was someone strong in her mind, someone no human but powerful and she didn't want that illusion to end so she closed her eyes and tried to ignore the silent sobs.

 _"_ _Do you want me to read you a story, princess?"_ Mom said one time she had a green arm and had shut her room tight before lying next to her.

_"_ _I don't want more stories. I don't want to be a princess anymore."_

_"_ _Then what do you want to be, sweety?"_

_"_ _Just Sophia,"_ she said and hugged her mom until she wasn't trembling and Dad wasn't angry anymore.

He said that, but perhaps she still wants to be a princess. When Nine appeared and saved her, she thought she was dreaming and he was like the imaginary friend his neighbor had. Something she created to save her. Like those stories her mother read her about. With princesses and princes. He was the hero of her story ready to save her every time.

But then she realized others could see him too and by that time it was too late; she already considered him a mentor.

"He looks like a baby."

Sophia doesn't startle at the sound, choosing to ignore Ben as this is the fourth time he's tried to make fun of Nine. She knows it's only because he's asleep and can't hear his words that he does it, otherwise he would be silent. It still annoys her. Without Nine, they wouldn't have been able to escape.

"Babies don't shot bombs from their mouth, Ben," says Sasha in that long suffering way she's learned to associate with tiredness. They're going to rest soon then, she thinks. And no sooner she thinks that, Sasha gives the signal to stop the car to get some sleep. Sophia adjusts her grip on the baby carrier, making sure none of Nine's fur has been stuck again as she glances towards the window. She remembers the first time that happened and he shifted, startling everyone into stepping away. They're really afraid of him and Sophia can't blame them. If she's honest with herself she'd admit she is too as she has seen the destruction of that energy Nine shot caused more closely

It was horrible. She felt how as soon as he started forming that ball, the ground shook before it was expulsed and then it melted; the walkers there completely annihilated from it. They couldn't even walk on top of the destruction as it was too hot for their shoes to resist the temperature.

But she can just leave Nine. He taught her how to hunt and cook and be stronger—How to survive. He's his mentor and nothing more. He's not here to save her. She understands that now. He already has someone to save and it's not her.

Sophia looks down, letting her cheek rest on top of Kurama's head. Her eyes are wet but no tear falls.

No one's going to save her, she knows now and her arms tighten around Nine.

Maybe she should do the saving, now.


	8. Nature

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> They don't question him as soon as they reach the place, which he's glad for. Although the 'talk' still comes sooner than he'd have wanted. He thinks he'd have probably avoided it entirely for at least a day but he's not going to accept their food when he knows they've barely enough to survive. He's not that cruel.  
> (His mind quickly ignores the knowledge that he would have do it before Naruto just for fun.)

Kurama doesn't need a lot of things. Sleep, drink and food are some of them. Those needs are for humans and he's not that. He's a force of nature; a being made of chakra; sentient raw energy who by all means shouldn't have emotions or wants. Or even a gender as they are useless for someone like him. And yet, even for all that dictates that he should only be little more than a tool, he is not. He may not need food, but he still wants to eat for the pleasure of eating. He doesn't need to sleep but still likes to rest and enjoy the warm of the sun against his fur. He doesn't have a real gender but prefers to be a he, in the same way Chomei prefers to be a she.

They don't need a lot of things but they still have preferences—they have emotions even if by all means they should have been like their predecessor, the jubi, who wasn't more than a mindless beast. They feel and want since the moment they opened their eyes for the first time to find their father standing in front of them, smiling. He looked tired and old, small and completely different from them. Even so, Kurama knew in the moment his father named him Kurama that he was going to love him forever. There was just something inside him that told him 'this man is worth loving'. It could have been his kind smile or the warmth of his emotions, he didn't know—he still doesn't know. He only knew that if father asked him, he would follow him to the end of the world.

That was his first emotion: love, appearing in the moment his father stroked his fur and told them he was their father. Because it didn't matter to him if he was only human, Kurama loved him.

The first time he wanted something came afterwards, not too long from his first experience with emotions. Or at least, not too long for a being to whom time doesn't matter. It came with another emotions, these ones negative in nature. Sadness and disappointment came as soon as he realized that for all his prowess he wouldn't obtain what he wanted; his father was going to die anyways. He was human.

Kurama doesn't know if 'waiting' could be considered an emotion, but for them it was. Then the moment came and all the biju stood reunited next to their father's bed, trying to enjoy the last moment with his company, some of the tension the waiting brought somewhat gone, but still there, like a solid presence in the room with them. He thought the Waiting was the worst thing he'd experience—he was wrong. His inexperience and youth blinded him because as soon as the moment came, the grief took over and Kurama needed to go away as his brethren's emotions were too much to handle alongside his own.

That was the first time he slept. It was just an attempt to shut himself from the pain, to ignore for a moment that the smile his father gave them before his breathing stopped was the last.

He didn't know how humans slept then, didn't know how it worked for them and what the differences were between one and the other. Now that he knows, he's not sure which one he prefers the best. Humans have dreams and nightmares, they're more active and sometimes he wishes to have that instead of the empty void that is his own sleeping, if it can be called that. Most of times he's glad he sleeps in the way he does. He's an old being. He's experienced a lot. Bad memories exceeds the good ones. Kurama is glad he doesn't dream. Glad that he just closes his eyes, lets his mind wander and an emptiness meets him. It can last a couple minutes or weeks, he doesn't know as time doesn't matter then; it all feels the same. One moment he's asleep; the next he's awake and ready.

However there are moments in which his mind is muddled before waking up, disarrayed thought come forefront and he doesn't what's happening. It only happens when he got knocked out cold or was out of energy before sleeping. Thing it happened few times in all his existence and most of those times occurred in the War, though he had Naruto alongside him to reassure him as he startled at the jumble of emotions he was projection onto him. Now he doesn't have anyone.

He just wakes up, terrified at how vulnerable he feels—how weak. He stays motionless as he tries to ignore the way his fur stands on end and how he swears there's a sound of a heartbeat loud to his ears that seems to belong him even when he's sure he doesn't have a heart.

Breathing in and out for a couple of times even he doesn't need that either, not really, before he's aware of his surroundings. He's on top of a car that's moving, his mind provides and he realizes just then his size is smaller than should be and even as he tries to gather some energy, he can't quite manage it. It fleets away from his grasp at the same time he feels Nature pulling at him, claiming his power. Kurama tries to increase his awareness and his range is larger than it should be, his senses feel sharper, but he feels weaker all the same. He feels part of Nature and it scares him. He wants to dwell more into his new discovery but in the same way his awareness has grown, it seems his ability to sense emotions got stronger, too.

And there's a lot of heavy emotions coming from under him.

"—need to look for a place to rest, Sasha. We can't continue like this. Ben has a concussion and moving around won't do him no—"

"And what do you want me to do, huh? We're in a hotspot. Haven't you seen what we just encountered? We need to run, Adam. Better be injured to continue fighting than dead and be one of them."

"Sasha!"

"No, Donna. Someone has to say it like it is. I don't like the weather more than you do, but we can go around trying in every town we find. Look at what just happened."

There's a ragged breathing mixed with quiet dread from whom he's sure is Sophia that make a headache form. He's experienced something similar from other humans. Triggers, he thinks it's called. Kurama doesn't know much about the girl past before the walkers but he's seen enough to know she comes from an abusive family. And as he's spending more time with her, Kurama's more attuned to her emotions. This not quite anxiety drills into his head painfully. It makes him want to destroy something.

Luckily he's not the only noticing it as he senses Tyreese's aggravation mixing with worry. Kurama hears him taking a deep breath and senses Sasha's own annoyance receding with the sound.

"Maybe we should stop and discuss later. The kids are tired, and frankly I am, too. But Adam is right, Sasha. We can't continue like this. I hate going into towns and trying our luck but we can't always stay in the car and hope no one dies of hypothermia. Here doesn't snow as other states but it still snows and we're lucky it hasn't so far."

"What do you want me to do then, Tyreese?"

There's a tense silence in which the emotions twirling under him become worse, making his headache turn into an ugly pain. He doesn't know what the context is but he can shot a guess and make a deduction from what he's heard. And it rattles him.

In the back of his mind, there's a voice that sounds suspiciously like Naruto's, telling him to show himself and scare the crap out of them just for kicks. But he ignores it as he has ignored most of Naruto's stupid plans to prank. Besides, it's gotten silent so there's hope for the emotions to withdraw into a quiet hum in the back of his thoughts, easy to ignore.

No such luck. As soon as Kurama tries to use the peace to rest and do a checkup of his current state, something (and he doesn't know what) happens because the tension rises. Kurama curses and sits, enjoying the feeling of the wind brushing his fur for a moment before he glances at his tail and increases the number into two, which he uses to get a better handle of the car's roof. Then, moving to the window he senses Sophia is close to, he taps the roof box twice with his paw, moving his head next to the glass to glare at the humans.

"Would you knock it off? I am trying to sleep here."

"Nine!"

The car jerks from the road and Kurama is glad he decided to use his second tail because something tells him he'd have ended on the ground otherwise. The car stops with a loud screeching sound and Sasha's head turn to look at him, following the actions the others have taken.

Kurama frowns at their shock because he's sure they've heard him talk before. There's a mad cackle in the back of his mind that, again, sounds suspiciously like Naruto's after a well done prank. He decides to ignore it to look at Sophia, who's giving him a big teary smile that doesn't seem to be losing its size anytime soon.

"So how long has it been since I slept?"

She blinks faster, obviously trying to erase the wetness from her eyes, before she clears her throat. "I think it's been close to two months, Nine." She looks over her shoulder as if to help her confirm her words but the others seem to not letting the shock go.

Kurama doesn't like it but it's better than the previous tension.

"Are you better, Nine?"

"I'm smaller, kid. I'm not going to be better any time soon."

Sophia's smile turns into a faint smirk. "You were smaller; the size of a baby. Actually, you started growing two weeks ago. Three days ago we had to move you to the roof again as you were too big for the car."

Kurama's ear press to his head, scandalized. He shudders. "Glad I didn't get to see that," he mumbles before directing his gaze to look at Sasha, who slightly jerks back under his stare. "Were are we going?"

That seems to be enough to wake her from whatever state she's in as he senses some annoyance and incredulity spiking in her. She raises an eyebrow and mouths a disbelieving, " _We_?"

Kurama answers her eyebrow game with a tilt of his head.

"Well, seeing I'm on top of the car your group is in and you've been moving me around for about a month, I think I'm entitled to say 'we' and not 'you'. So?"

The expression in her face is familiar. It's the same Naruto always wore before he started shouting. Though hers is more subdued and Kurama pities that. However, before words can come out from her mouth, her brother stops her with a hand on her shoulder. It works as she backs away to glare at her brother. She frowns at him, a silent conversation happening with expressions, before she rolls her eyes at whatever thing she finds on her brother's face.

She returns to look at him. "We're running from a town half an hour from here. Don't know exactly where we are going. We just want to be away from that place."

Kurama glances to the opposite direction the car was moving towards and sniffs. The scent of death is strong. He spreads his newfound awareness and is surprised when he can sense faintly the dead. He hums distractedly, more curious about the new development. "Yeah, can smell those things from here. It's a wonder you managed to survive with that many."

"Yeah. A wonder," Adam says sarcastically, glancing at his son whose face is pressed to her mother's side. "Wait. Smell them? Can you do that?"

Kurama smiles in that sociopathic way Naruto has told him so many times how scary it is. It seems to work fine on adults, too. Or that's what he gets from the way he sees the humans inside the car as they tense. "Of course. I can do that. I can do even more, human."

"Does that means you're not as weak as before then, Nine?" Sophia asks with furrowed eyebrows. Kurama is reminded that from all that he managed to teach her, she's still but a child. He could ignore as he feels she's truly worried about him but that kind of question is not meant for company and Kurama thinks of himself as her teacher so he can't let it slide.

He makes another tail appear. This one with more difficulty as it seems three tails are his limit, and flips Sophia on the head. She doesn't complain but her hand still goes to rub her forehead.

"Kid, you need to learn when not to divulge things. Never put all you cards on the table. But yeah, that's true. I'm not at my normal levels of power. When I'm around the height of a house you will know I'm improving. Until then, I can only the basics, but those seem to be enough for this world."

There is a lull in the conversation in which the adults take the time to glance between each other meaningfully. It's Donna the one who stops them by looking at him in exasperation. "Look, we all would love to know what hell you are and what your intentions here are. But the true is that my son is unconscious and injured. We could barely stitch him and we still need to check those up. We don't have any painkillers for the fever that's breaking and we've been almost a week on the road so we don't have enough gas either. We need to search for a place to sleep. So if any of your mysterious abilities can help, that'd be great."

"Donna—"

"Shut up, Adam," she shots her husband before turning to look at him. "Can you do it?"

Kurama glares at the human, a slight thread of killing intent sweeping in the background. It's not enough face a genin but for a civilian with a non-developed chakra network is enough to make them freeze.

"Let's be clear in something, human. I'm no pet. I'm no something you can order around. If I'm here, with your group, is because of a whim. These 'walkers' don't face me; they're just a nuisance to me. You'll do yourself a favor in showing me some respect."

Donna's head slightly tilts down. Her brain recognizes him as the threat he is, but her glare doesn't lessen and for that, he's gained some of his respect. "The fever can kill him in this weather. Can you help my son, _please_ ," she asks between gritted teeth, a bead of sweat falling from her hairline from the exertion his killing intent is taking on them.

Her determination reminds him of Naruto's and because of that, Kurama smiles. "I don't think I have the enough energy to completely heal him, but I can try, human."

She nods and signals her husband to open the door. He seems reluctant but eventually accepts. Kurama jumps from roof and is slightly surprised to notice that the wind is stronger from outside his roof box, or whatever is called. He looks up to the sky and sees it darkening. It'll rain in a few hours.

"Here," he hears and turns to see the man, Adam, helping her wife into pulling his son into a better position, closer to the door.

Kurama notices the red mark on the kid's head and the gash on his upper arm that has darkened the dark green shirt he's wearing. He's sweating and the heat he's exuding can be felt from where he's standing. He glances once more to Donna before he tries to concentrate his energy, pull it away from Nature, and for one hand of chakra. It works, if barely, but the arm is red instead of yellow. He knows if he tries to touch the kid, he most likely will end burning him. He moves the arm away from the humans to avoid accidental touching and Kurama closes his eyes to better ignore his surroundings so he can concentrate, but it's still hard and only gets the arm to turn into orange.

"Fuck," he hisses and makes the arm disappear as he shakes his head. He looks up at the kid and sees Sophia peeking from behind his form. Seeing her reminds him of something, giving him an idea.

Taking a deep breath, he tries to recall the feeling of Naruto's chakra, of his person. He turns again into him, though it's a slightly younger version than the one he remembers. His clothes again are like Mito's but simpler because even if he's weak he's not going to let others look at him with his clothes. His ego wouldn't let him.

There are gasps around him but he ignores it as he kneels in front of the kid. The transformation demands more concentration, but it's somehow easier to split that concentration into doing other things. His right hand turns into a less solid yellow and he presses it into the kids arm. It's harder to heal someone from the outside than it is from the inside, it seems. Harder but still doable. He doesn't have that much energy but that rest seems to have worked as it's not as taxing. Or perhaps is not that strenuous because he's borrowing from Nature.

It seems in the same way Nature it's taking his energy away, he can take some of it back too.

He closes the wound and disinfects it, but not completely heals it. He then moves to the head and recedes some of the pain to make it at least bearable.

Kurama sits back with an inhuman fluidity as he inspects his work with slightly frowning eyes, posture straight and cold. He then shrugs and stands up, giving his legs a shake as to erase the wrinkles that formed in the clothes.

"Is he going to be okay?" Donna asks breathless, her hands somewhat trembling as she inspects his son's wounds. He doesn't know if she's trembling because of what she's seen him do or for the relief.

"Better than nothing, I guess."

"Better than nothing?"

A hand goes to his hip as he turn his head back to look at Adam. He raises an eyebrow. "I'm not going to waste more of the energy I've already wasted. It'll take a while to fully heal but I've seen kids his age with worse and still going to fight. He's going to be fine with that."

Kurama doesn't mention that the kids he's talking about are actually ninjas, child soldiers, but he never claimed being good at comforting people.

"He seems better, Adam." Donna's hand leaves her son's forehead to look up at him. "Thank you."

Kurama makes a face at the sincerity of her words. Honest gratitude is hard to swallow even coming from Naruto.

"Whatever."

Sasha huffs somewhat shakily. "Not good at receiving thanks, huh?"

"You're getting off lucky, actually. I threw the last guy who gave me the thanks against a wall," Kurama grumbles as he gives her a passing glance, but his lips curl at the memory of Naruto shouting at him.

"I get he didn't die then," deadpans Adam.

Smirking, he glances down at the hand that is solid again. "He's a resilient kid. Hard to kill."

"Is that your friend? We're going at the general direction you told me to."

Kurama's head shots up to look at Sophia, his body losing some of its form at the slip of concentration. He looks from side to side as if a giant red arrow is going to appear and signal him towards the last place he felt Naruto. He spreads his awareness to its limit, ignoring how Nature latches more into him. Adam, who was standing next to him, stumbles. He grabs the car's door to keep him upright but Kurama ignores that as he concentrates, barely registering that he is once again in his fox form.

He feels Naruto. Or at least the vague direction in which he is in. The point in which he used his chakra for the last time is stronger as it left an imprint but he can _sense_ Naruto, too. He can also sense the Uchiha brat but it's an easy to forget dot, just enough to know he's alive, so he ignores it.

There's an answering pulse and something in him warms because that's Naruto going into sage mode. He want to focus more until he can know exactly where he is but Nature breaks away from his grip, leaving him. The action takes more from him than he'd have thought and Kurama staggers back.

He wants to try again and takes a step forward to do it, but Sophia's '"Nine, don't!" stops him. Kurama looks over his shoulder, marveling for a second at the way the world shifts its axis and his vision blurs, his mind moving far slower than normal, before he notices Sophia kneeling next to him. He ignores it, choosing to press his head between his paws and groan, cursing left and right, before he looks up again.

The other humans are gripping the car tightly. They look scared. Sophia's no better; she's pale and terrified but determined enough to be that close to him.

"Don't do that again," she says with a hard tone he doesn't remember ever hearing coming from her. Kurama wants to berate her for it but doesn't have the strength to do it. Something tells him he kind of deserves it, too.

"What was that?" Sasha breaths.

"Fucking Nature," he answers, even if he doesn't exactly know what they've experienced. It's still the truth though, because _fucking_ _Nature_.

The silence that forms is broken by Tyreese who clears his throat, making everyone look at him. "Maybe we should go," he says looking around. "Donna's right. We should look for a safe place. More now that the Ben's better. We can talk later."

Kurama's ear twitches as he remembers sensing some empty spaces void of Nature he guesses are houses. He points to a direction with a tail. "There are a couple of houses down to that path. They're are free of walkers from what I could sense earlier."

"You sensed them?" asks Adam, doubt clear in his tone.

Kurama glares at him and answers with a resolute 'Yes' that forbids any more questioning.

Sasha is the one who intercedes, even though she seems quite skeptic too. "Like a town?"

"No, they were too separated to be that. Cabins, I think is the term."

Sasha hums as she looks at the direction he pointed before she glances at the sky. "It's going to rain soon. If they're separated enough, each must have some sort of generator so best to try it, don't you think?"

Her question goes to everyone and Kurama is kind of relieved everyone accepts. He jumps onto the roof box without prompting. No one tells him to go off so he lies down and waits for everyone to go to their positions and turn on the car.

* * *

They don't question him as soon as they reach the place, which he's glad for. Although the 'talk' still comes sooner than he'd have wanted. He thinks he'd have probably avoided it entirely for at least a day but he's not going to accept their food when he knows they've barely enough to survive. He's not that cruel.

(His mind quickly ignores the knowledge that he would have do it before Naruto just for fun.)

"So… you don't need to eat?" Donna asks, because Sophia is devouring her food and apparently she's been delegated to the position of interacting with him as he hasn't killed her when she talked back.

"Among other things."

"Like what?"

Kurama opens an eye to glare at her, though his head is still comfortably settled on top of his forepaws. He's ready to answer with something snarky but he can sense the curiosity of those around him. He sighs. It's better to do it like a band aid—quick and painless.

"I don't need anything. I'm essentially a sentient walking energy."

She shares a glance with her husband at that, clearly telling him to ask something else, but Sasha is the one that beats them. "So you were made by the government?"

Kurama's head shot up, insulted. "The what?"

"That's a no then."

"I'm not going to share my life story, so don't even try. Let's just leave it at that I'm something supernatural your mind would never get a grasp to understand, okay?"

Tyreese narrows his eyes, clearly pondering what he's just heard. "Supernatural…? Is that—You think that's what _this_ is?"

"You mean your little apocalypse? Don't know. If I've had more power I could try to get a better look at what's wrong with those walking dead humans. Though I'm not that interested to tell the truth."

Adam sits straighter, food forgotten on his lap. "Not that—You know how many have died because of this? If you could help—"

"You seem to forget I'm not human. I don't care what happens to your species. Besides, is not as if you're going to die. Something bad always happens to your kind that almost kills you but you manage to survive and get back up eventually. You're like cockroaches that way," he says, remembering all those centuries he's seen humans.

He doesn't think it must be that different if they're from another world. Humans are resilient even when they're the ones that try to annihilate their own species.

"So you're not going to help us, even if you could, Nine?" Sophia asks and there's something in her expression that remind him of Naruto before he gives ones of his speeches. Something fierce and firm.

It makes him slump on his spot as a flash of nostalgia hits him hard. "Please tell me you're not going to give a speech about love and friendship too?"

"What? No!"

Kurama let's a relieved (and somewhat disappointed) breath out at the surprise on her face.

"Nothing, kid. You can stop with that face, too. I don't want to help you. I really, _really_ don't, but something tells me I'll end doing it somehow. Naruto is a problem magnet and a self-sacrificing buffoon; he's going to drag into helping and I know it. I'm just trying to enjoy being a cynic bastard for as long as I can."

There are raised eyebrow at his words, but it seems the shock at seeing a talking fox is waning. Humans are that adaptable. Probably it has to do with the fact their world is being threatened by dead walking people, too.

"Nar-u-to?"

"Naruto," he corrects Tyreese, recalling the feeling his sage mode gave him. "He's a human and my friend."

He sits on his ass, feeling tired and just wanting to rest, but he's got a clue and he'll be damned he if doesn't follow it. He glances at the humans, realizing that even if he's said he doesn't need them, he really does need them if he wants to go to Naruto and kick his ass for all his absence has make him do.

The eyes of the humans are heavy on him and Kurama can feel the questions they want to make. He looks down and ignores them, because it'll be hard enough without looking. He _knows_ he needs help, but asking for it is hard. He's pretty sure he can count how many times he's asked for help with the fingers of one paw. However, the situation demands for him to let go of his ego.

"I may need your—"He stops himself and clenches his jaw shut, feeling somewhat disgusted by what he's trying to do. He wants to think that he's trying to search Naruto because he needs him to power up again and not feel this constant tiredness with every step he takes, but that would be lying. He'd be insulting Naruto and the change Kurama's made because of him.

So he swallows back his pride and this time it's easier. He looks squarely at every member of the group in front of him. "I need your help. Sophia knows this, so I'm just informing you: I've got separated from my friend when we came here and I'm looking for him. I'm not as strong as I once was so I don't think I can make long trips. I need your help to accomplish that."

"I will help you," says Sophia, standing up from her seat. She then looks at the people around her. "I told you about him before. Nine saved me. He's taught me so much and while he can be somewhat harsh, he's nice to be around and he's helped us a lot. I—I've liked to travel with you and I'd like if you could come with us. But it doesn't matter if you don't want to help him, I will."

Sophia is standing straight, glaring at the grow ups she once tried to make them acknowledge her, daring them to tell them the contrary. It's so familiar that Kurama can't help the snort that escapes him.

"Nine?"

Now she's looking at him with confused wide eyes and the snort turns into laughter. Because he pictures Naruto giving him that look after a speech and that's too good to hold.

"I'm serious!" she snaps indignantly.

"Oh kid, believe me, I know," he answers between chuckles, body sprawled on the floor. "Didn't you tell me you weren't going to give a speech? I give it five of ten. Sorry, but heard too many of those and if it makes you feel better, it improves with time. You can go from changing criminal's hearts to demon beasts the size of buildings."

He snorts again. "Just don't use an orange jumpsuit."

"I think I speak for everyone when I say, _what_?"

He flips a tail at Sasha, not bothering to sit straight again. He likes the floor. "It's an inside joke. If you help me, you'll probably get to understand when we meet Naruto."

"What _kind_ of guy is he anyways?" asks Adam, not as faced as the others with his change of mood. Kurama sits right once again.

"Let's just say that if a stranger would have asked him for help like I just did, he would instantly agree, not caring if the one asking is an innocent kid, a talking animal, or a criminal determined to destroy the world. Actually, he'd specially help the criminal. Then he'd make them see the error of their ways and they'd end like best friends or something as crazy. Usually a fight between ideals would happen before that."

A similar deadpan, disbelieving look is shared in the people around him and Kurama agrees with the feeling. He often feels it when he's with Naruto.

"He sounds like a nice guy," Sophia says, though she even sounds dubious. "You didn't mention him like that the other time."

"It's because he really is an idiotic, stubborn goof that goes face-first into a problem without thinking, too."

If possible, the incredulity in their faces increases.

"See? That's why I can't leave him alone. A personality like that one asks for problems. And trouble finds him faster than I'd like, unfortunately."

"Do I want to ask how you became friends?" Sasha asks.

"I wouldn't say that he 'made me see the error of my ways', but I can't think a better explanation, so let's go with that."

"But you say he's human. And that he gets into lot of trouble." Tyreese looks around, as if not sure how to continue. "I mean, are you sure he's even alive?"

Kurama snorts. "He's fine. Not even a goddess could kill him. He's the ultimate cockroach."

"I thought you said he was your friend," Adam says, letting the 'goddess' bit slide.

"A nice cockroach then. So, are you going to help me? I can just offer protection and whatever energy I can waste into helping you from time to time. Nothing else."

There's another round of silent talking and Kurama's frankly getting bored of those. He still waits though. He's slightly sure they're going to agree if only because they know what he's to offer is more than the way he shrugged it off. Humans are good at taking advantage of dire situations.

"I'll help you with or without their help," Sophia murmurs as she sits next to him, her legs pressed against her chest. "I don't know if you consider me a friend, but I do. I owe you so much, Nine."

"I'm not good with this friendship gig but for what it's worth, thank you, Sophia."

She smiles down at him, blue eyes bright and blonde hair longer than it was before, noticeable even with the ponytail. She seems ready to say something else but Sasha clearing her throat makes them look to the other humans.

"I think we could help each other by staying together. Surviving is what's important these days and it's not as if we have an actual place to go, so... We agree, Nine."

Kurama dips his head in thanks. He doesn't think his ego would take saying 'thank you' out loud. One thing is saying it to Sophia, another is to them. It still doesn't feel enough though.

"Kurama," he offers. At her raised eyebrow, he clarifies, "Kurama is my given name. Not Nine."

Sasha smiles slightly. "Okay then, Kurama."

He makes a face, already regretting telling them his name. It just feels wrong to hear it say it by a human. "I'd prefer if you called me Nine, though," he says quickly.

Her smile grows alongside the others in the group but no one says anything. Sophia glances curiously at him. "What about me?"

Ugh.

Kurama wants to say no, but those blue, still innocent, eyes are looking directly at him and… fucking Naruto.

"Sure, kid," he says but it's clear to the others how much it pains him to do it. Sophia realizes too, but it seems she's not going to be merciful of him. Damned brats.

"Thanks, Kurama!" she chirps and everyone laughs at how he faintly cringes.

"Okay, okay. Enough of that," says Adam, motioning with a hand to stop. "We agree to go look for your friend but do you've a clue of where he is?"

Kurama settles his head on top of his paws and point to the direction he last felt Naruto with a tail. "That way. The thing I did on the road? It was to point out where he was. I just have a vague direction of where he is, but that's probably because he's not close."

"What's that thing you did anyways?"

He can sense something like dread in those around him and now that he's not a single-minded being focused in Naruto, Kurama admits he's curious.

"I don't know, what did you feel?"

There's a shared glance, as if they don't know how to answer, or are afraid to say the words aloud. It's Sophia the one that speaks in the end. "It was as if something sucked in deep inside of me, grabbing me. It was overpowering and it felt like it was crushing me."

Sophia shudders at the same time Kurama gives a 'Huh'.

Sasha frowns. "'Huh'? Is the only thing you've to say?"

"Well, what do you want me to say? I don't know what happened then. I was kind of panicking and I… connected into Nature? Yes, I did that."

Kurama looks down at himself and closes his eyes, focusing in that new-found connection he's been trying to ignore. It's sentient and slightly familiar in a way he doesn't want to look too deeply into.

"I think… I think that what you felt it's happening to me in a lesser degree. When I deliberately connected more into Nature, it got you too. Though I'm not so sure."

"Are you fine? Has this happened to you before?" Sophia asks, her eyebrows furrowed together in worry.

"No, never," he answers though he's not entirely sure and that frightens him. He's been trying to connect into Nature to regain his energy more quickly. He's been too weak to notice if there have been any changes into his body. He's not even sure why now he's able to—

"It has noticed me," he murmurs, slowly looking up. "When I shot that bijuudama, Nature took notice of me. It's trying to assimilating me because I am energy."

"You… you speak of nature as if it was sentient," Adam says somewhat shakily, trying to light the mood with a laugh but it comes out weak.

"It is. Though I don't know what for Nature's harboring energy." A sense of foreboding slowly settles into his being, creeping into his mind with a cold grip. He stands up. "We _need_ to find Naruto. _Now_."

His demanding tone startles them, but just momentarily. Sasha leans forward and tries with an understanding tone. "It's raining and we're tired. Ben needs rest, too. We agreed to help you find your friend, but we're humans and you've got to understand that. We can't just go now that we found a warm place."

"You don't understand," he says, something desperate crawling in him, making his voice weak. "I gave all my power to Naruto before we separated and he's more connected into Nature than I am. Whatever Nature is doing to me is nothing compared with what it must be doing to him. It could be draining him even more or making him into a time bomb that could decimate half of this planet. And knowing Naruto, it's probably the latter. Walkers would be the least of your problems if that happens."

Now he's scared them but he can't help it, he's scared himself too. Now he's not sure he wasn't able to pinpoint Naruto's because they were too far away or if it's his presence the one that grew too much.

Sasha looks around and seems to be debating something, but she nods once after a couple of seconds have passed. "We will rest for a couple hours, gain energy while the rain stops and then we go. You can help us avoid the walkers and hunt like you usually did before so we can move quickly."

Tyreese stands up. "I'll search around to see if we can replenish supplies. Adam, you've got the map?"

"Yeah, I'll look into it."

"I'll be taking the blankets out then," says Donna as she move to where the backpacks are in the corner.

Sophia follows Donna. "I'll help you pack whatever we're not going to use."

"Sure, honey. Thanks."

Adam is walking pass him before he stops. "You know how to read map? I need you to give me the directions so we can see if there are towns or the like near."

Kurama nods, not being able to do more than that. He's glad they don't ask him how he's going to fix the problem because he's not sure himself. He just wants to go see Naruto even if he only manages to say a word to him before he blows up. He'll think about a solution later when his mind isn't too full of worry.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I forgot to update here mostly because I use FF.net for anime-related stories and AO3 for shows. Oops.


	9. Woodbury?

Naruto loves fighting. He likes to follow that dance and loose himself in one until his breathing becomes heavy but exhilarating and the muscles become sore but light. The pumping of his heart as adrenaline engulfs his body just to make it react quicker, work better. The necessary concentration he needs to give his opponent to be able to follow their movements while keeping aware of one's surroundings. The way limbs move and the power they can give. How one needs to think fast and counter even faster. The challenge is frightening and exciting and Naruto loves every second of it, not caring if he ends as a bloody mess who can even feel his aches.

Even death matches have their appeal. He doesn't love them, or even like them, but they're special the way they are more real. The threat of dying is there but the insecurity too, as one feels the other's emotions, the passion behind each punch, even if they're strangers. It doesn't carry the lightheartedness of a spar or the fun and challenge of it, but it helps make one aware of their own mortality. And to someone who's been looked down as less than human, barely above a monster, it also helps him to feel more human. He still doesn't like them though, even if lately they've become quite frequent in his life.

So Naruto loves fighting and he's always thought that he'd like whatever form that comes from it or any kind of opponent it offers. Though, apparently, he was wrong. Because he really, really doesn't like fighting against the Edo Tensei-wannabes. And it shows as Clementine says, "That's another bump from Andrea for swearing."

He glares at her as he digs a kunai into another walker, even if he knows she can't see him.

"You finished already, Clem?"

The girl turns briefly from where she's trying to fill another bag to stick her tongue out at him before she returns to her task

"Cut her some slack, kid," Andrea breathes out, knocking another walker with Naruto's pretty orange bat. "Why is this happening again?"

Naruto doesn't bother to look at Andrea; she's alive and that's all that he needs to know. "Hey, it was your idea so don't try to dump the blame to others."

Michonne, who is a couple meters away, finishes two of those walkers before she turns to give Naruto a knowing, small smirk. "I agree. This time is not your fault."

"Hey!"

Even if he shouts, Naruto doesn't add anything else because his luck has followed him even in this world and he knows that the last three times they've tried to sleep inside houses, they ended ambushed by walkers because of him.

He also doesn't say anything because that's the moment Clementine stands up, trying to lift up the two small bags, having finished passing the things they retrieved from the broken bags into another, sturdier ones.

Naruto shots a look at Michonne as he sees Clementine's strain before going to help her. When the bags are secured in his hands, he motions the others to retreat to the wall. They follow his lead even if with some difficulty because of the walkers on their trail.

"Naruto, give me a hand!"

Throwing a glance to the attackers, Naruto helps Andrea climb up to go pass the wall surrounding the house they used for the night before he goes and helps Clem do the same while Michonne is behind, trying to keep them clear from walkers.

"Michonne, come on!"

Michonne's the one who is more fit so she doesn't need that much help aside from using his interlaced hands to propel herself. And that's good when doing this kind of things. Quickly separates his intertwined fingers, Naruto grabs the handy bat that Andrea left behind to keep the walkers at bay, not wanting to accidentally lose another kunai, and gives the others some time and doesn't go to follow them until he hears the "Ready!" from Clementine.

"Where's Michonne?" Naruto asks when he meets them in the park.

"Here."

Turning around, Naruto sees Michone with her walker trailing behind, their luggage on its back.

"You've the bags?" she asks and Naruto answers by patting the bags twice before giving them to Andrea who gives him a strained smile, sweat trailing down her forehead as she looks for her prize.

"You're so lucky you're a man, kid."

Naruto chuckles, remembering Sakura saying something familiar, though with an added, "I'm lucky I'm a doctor."

"We're going to some house or camping again?" Clementine asks, clearly uncomfortable with the prospect of what she's going to suffer in later years and probably with no medicine.

"The weather is not that bad. We're camping," Michonne answers, not even bothering to look up.

Clementine gives a tired sigh, as if she knew the result but was hoping for the best, and Naruto feels slightly guilty as it's kind of his fault they try to not sleep inside houses or the kind, unless they're one hundred percent sure they're completely alone. Because they've all realized that for some reason walkers always manage to find him.

He's lucky that by that time, they were already fond of him.

"I suppose we can head to the last camping point." he murmurs, because even if he's shit at reading maps, he's good with directions and he knows they are close from their last spot.

This time Michone does look up and Naruto follows her gaze to see the blue lazy sky that's darker than it should be. It takes her a second longer before she gives an affirmative.

* * *

Three hours later, they're setting camp. Andrea's influenza has gotten slightly better thanks to the meds Naruto carried but it wasn't enough and it shows on her face. The blood-loss and pains from her period aren't helping either. Naruto only hopes that the meds they found will help her at least with that.

"I hope this works," Andrea says as she sits on the hard ground and groans, looking at the boiling sea sponge she will have to use later. She takes a glance at the bag with the pills but Michonne shakes her head and gives her a bottle of clean water instead.

Naruto doesn't look up from the tramps he's setting but he makes sure he's not breathing through his nose, faintly uncomfortable at the smell of boiling blood. Is not the thought of a women menstruating that makes him uneased. He even took a class in the Academy most guys scrunched their nose at while some girls blushed as they listened to the teacher with hard, solemn faces, paying more attention than they'd done before. Naruto's also spent most of his teenagers years with Jiraiya so he knows more about women's biology than he'd probably need. Not to mention his teammate is a woman and a medic to boot. So is not as if the concept of menstruation that bothers him – it's his training that sharpens his other senses whenever he smells the barest hint of blood, making him suspicious to every sound. And that tires him greatly—always being in that constant paranoid state of mind.

Kunoichi's have to take pills to cut their periods so it won't interrupt a mission or make the enemy aware of their presence so he's never had the problem he has now and when off duty, he's not spend a lot of time next to a woman to be notorious either. So… _fuck_ his nose and all his ninja skills. Fuck war, too. Because that's made him a little twitchy whenever he smells it, always wondering if this time another friend was the one who died; if that scent comes from Bushy-brows or Hinata's body.

"I'm done," he says with a strained voice, grabbing his rolling sleeping bag and going up for a tree with sturdy branches. They've had dinner while resting an hour ago, or what went as dinner these times, so he'll be able to take his nap slightly early.

Clementine waves him off as she moves to sit next to Andrea to help her sort all they've obtained from their raid.

Naruto settles the sleeping bag on the spot he's chosen and tries to settle into a comfortable position before checking for any wounds he may have obtained. His muscles are still sore and he knows he'll have that pins and needles sensation his body seems to always have after waking up, probably because his broken bones healed incorrectly those times he couldn't move and he had to break most of his bones at least twice to make it right. Or as right as someone with no medic experience can do.

Again, as most nights, he wishes Kurama was inside of him to at least heal his body correctly. Because having a faster healing can be sometimes a curse if he doesn't set the bone in the right position.

At least his body doesn't feel like bursting at the seams this day, though Naruto still concentrates some of his energy into his palm and pushes it into the tree to have a decent sleep without waking up panicked, with an excess of energy that feels more exhausting than it should be.

Glancing down to check the others, Naruto sees Clementine preparing to sleep next to Andrea, Michonne staying up for the first shift, and he closes his eyes, knowing he'll have three hours of sleep before she wakes him up as he's always the one who does the second shift whenever they camp outside with Andrea doing just one hour. Being the one who needs less sleep than the others and at the same time is more used to these kind of nights. If nothing, ninja life gives you some habits that work amazingly for these kind of situations.

Academy hasn't taught him how to survive some kind of zombie Apocalypse, but it does have taught him how to survive. And considering how his childhood has been, Naruto is an expert in surviving.

* * *

"Oh my God, you too?" Naruto wails at Michonne as he turns to her direction, looking utterly miserable with the bags under his eyes and the slump of his shoulders that hadn't managed to ease completely while his hand twitches for the kunai inside his pouch, more of a reflex than anything.

It's almost three days later when Naruto is taking a break, standing where the wind is strong, his usual turtle neck down to his chin, no longer making him look like the second coming Kakashi, that he realizes of Michonne's blood problem. He's glad that the last couple of days there were no walkers near to surprise them because he wouldn't have been able to detect them in time with his nose covered, but he thought his torment would almost be over. It seems that's not the case.

"It's weird how you know the instant it comes," she says, giving him a flat look, the tight hold on her sword loosening. "Get a grip. Believe me, if I could, I'd stop it."

Naruto rubs the back of his neck, smiling sheepishly at her. She's already picked that his senses are sharper than normal because how he knows when they're close to towns or walkers. "Sorry."

Andrea chuckles from behind them but it comes out as weak. "We're not that far from that prison you wanted to reach. I'd advice from being so loud, kid."

Naruto sighs as he puts the turtle neck up again, preparing himself for long days with twitching and almost stabbing whoever that tries to wake him up. Though they kind of learned after the first two times and now just throw him small rocks when he stays sleeping longer than the usual.

It doesn't matter. Naruto is the kind of person that looks at the glass half full so maybe, _maybe_ this means his luck will change to the better eventually.

Fuck his luck. Sakura would have probably punch him already for tempting fate that way, or that's what Naruto thinks as he tries to help Clementine stand up while kicking a walker on the face. He knew they shouldn't have stopped but honestly, that highway seemed lonely enough and those cars looked homey with the pouring rain. They didn't think that the sound of the girls trying to fix a car would make that many walkers appear.

Also, has he mentioned how it was raining? They needed to stop and this place was the better option.

"I'm out of shots!" Andrea says and Naruto doesn't waste any time to throw her his faithful bat as he pulls out a kunai for himself.

"There are more coming!" Clementine shouts from where she's doing look out, keeping everyone in their toes. She hadn't like it at first but with Michonne's glare and Andrea's big sister look, it was impossible to say no. And he has to admit that having her in a high place to let them know when a walker is behind or too close for comfort has been really helpful. Michonne is good but not even she has shinobi's reflexes.

Naruto finishes two more before jumping to the roof of the biggest car, fucking sore muscles aching once again as he meets Clementine to check how many more are coming and… well. It seems that the sound from Andrea's gun has attracted more attention from the dead that Naruto would have expected. He curses and jumps to the center, next to Michonne and Andrea.

"I'll finish these off and you go moving back to Clem's point. There are not that many from the border to her left," he says, kicking a walker and pushing his kunai into another's.

But the first walker's body was too frail and his foot stays inside the torso. He loses momentarily his balance and falls. Palms press to the ground to steady him as his feet go to the air, tearing the walker's body with another kick. Blood splatters on his shirt and pants but he doesn't have time to be disgusted. Naruto leans his weigh on his elbows, body forming a curve as it tenses for a jump.

"Are you fine? " Andrea, who is closer, asks when he's on his feet.

Naruto doesn't bother to grab the kunai from the ground. He pulls another one and slashes the head from one's body. "Never been better! Go back to—"

A familiar energy appears.

Head turning to the west, Naruto takes a sharp breath, because that's—that's Kurama"s chakra. He's felt it once before, just after he saw the man dying in what he now know is a helicopter. It's vague but he can feel traces of natural energy combined with what's a dimmer quantity of Kurama's chakra.

There's a sound of a body hitting the ground and Naruto turns to see Andrea with the bat on top of a walker's destroyed head.

"What's wrong?"

Naruto's about to answer when there's another familiar _something_ that stirs. He sees Andrea shiver slightly as she hunches inwards, letting him know that he's not the only one who has felt it. He even catches the walkers stopping to turn to the direction where the sensation seems to come from—where Naruto can feel Kurama's chakra.

"Cover me," he says, loud enough to snap Andrea out of it. She starts but her grip on the bat tightens again and he can see her glancing at Michonne who is inspecting the walkers.

Naruto doesn't wait for answer coming from her. Andrea is closer and she's good enough with the bat to cover him alone.

Closing his eyes, Naruto reaches for Nature's energy. It's become easier to do it even if can't yet mix his own chakra with it. He hasn't even tried, afraid of what Kurama's volatile chakra can do with it as wild as it currently is. He opens his eyes when he can map the place, knowing he only has at least five seconds to look for Kurama without Nature energy trying to engulf him and probably turn him into stone.

 _There!_ his mind says, giving him a vague direction of where Kurama is. He tries to get closer but suddenly it disappears. Naruto let's out an irritated breath as he can no longer sense his friend, small as his presence now is.

Ready to push Nature energy away, Naruto concentrates in the energy that's become clingier with every time he keeps using it. It's strangely sticky, like a gum on one's shoe. But Naruto is not a sage for nothing. And while it's become harder to keep it away from his being, at the same time it's easier to distinguish what's not part of him and push it away.

The last trail is almost gone when something tells him to look up. He opens his eyes and does just that, only to see a helicopter falling from the sky, smoke trailing down its tail. It's falling in the contrary direction where he felt Kurama but he's worried about the people there.

"Naruto, to your left!"

Reflexes make the hand holding a kunai go to the left, piercing it into a walker's eye. He looks to the side to see a breathless looking Andrea behind him with Michonne at her side.

"They seem slower," Clementine says from her spot. And her words are right. Whatever Kurama's done, the walkers seem sluggish. Clementine goes down and runs to where Michonne's walker is to grab the chains. "I've the bags. Let's go."

Naruto nods at her, thankful for helping him. They retreat, taking advantage of the distracted walkers.

"Does someone knows what happened back there?" Andrea asks once they're far enough, eyes on him, their expert of everything weird, apparently.

Naruto knows Clementine recommended him to stay silent from his abilities, but… Naruto's never been one to lie to people he considers friends. He can lie, of course. And pretty well, if he says so himself. Mostly because Ero-sennin has not wasted time to teach him everything he could so he'd throw it at Naruto so he could spend more time doing 'research'. And after learning how easily Naruto could gain the trust and loyalty of others, he taught him how to work his spy network.

And one of the things he first learned was how dangerous information can be. That and to not call his informants pen pals.

So yeah, Naruto knows it's probably a dumb move, but he knows Michonne and Andrea are good people; his gut tells him that, so he doesn't regret sharing some of his history.

Besides, he felt guilty seeing them hungry, injured and carrying heavy bags when he had some meds and food inside his storage scrolls.

Shaking his head to clear his thoughts, Naruto nods. "I think it was a friend of mine—Wait, no. I'm sure it's a friend of mine. I could detect his vague position but I think he did the same. He's probably coming."

"Do you know which one?" Clementine asks.

"Kurama," he says, giving a name instead of saying he's talking about the demon fox that used to live inside his navel. He may have told them about his powers and not common knowledge but he hasn't told them _everything_. Mostly because he doesn't think they'd believe the whole fighting a goddess and then falling into another world thingy.

Michone looks at him for a long moment before she sighs. "We shouldn't change directions. Your idea of forming a base in the prison is good and we should stick to it."

"Yeah, and your friend is coming towards here, right? Better to stay stationary in one safe place," Andrea adds quickly, trying to soften Michonne's blunt words. Not that it bothers him; he's been in the same team with Sasuke and Sai, after all. Michonne at least is somewhat nice and he can't deny she's right even if Naruto prefers to rush head first, consequences be damned, if it's with the end to help his friends.

He's glad she has a level-head on her shoulders as it has done wonders to his impulsive side. It also helps she can give a mean glare that reminds him of Tsunade Baa-chan and that she doesn't punch him.

So he nods.

Clementine points to where they're going. "We are going where the helicopter fell, right?"

"Yeah, of course. We aren't that far so we should check for survivors, ttebayo."

Andrea gives him a look accompanied with a smile, the one she gives him when he does something she considers naïve or cute. "That too. Though I've to admit there may be some weapons or ammo there, too. I only have one gun left."

Naruto grumbles at not thinking about that first but they agree to take a small ten minute break before moving.

* * *

They're walking through the trees, moving closer to where the smoke is coming. Michonne motions him to the left and Naruto nods in understanding as they split. Michonne going with a tired looking Andrea, walker trailing behind them, while Clementine follows him. Naruto barely notices the man sliced in two when he hears the sounds of engines near. He shots a look at Michone who's standing across him and they both nod before retreating. Voices are near and he a group of people coming out from working cars. There's talking but nothing important. He then sees a man using a knife to the one in the floor. Clementine's nail digging into the floor next to him but she doesn't make another sound.

"Are they good?" she whispers.

Naruto doesn't look at her as he takes a deep breath, concentrating just enough to sense their forefront emotions so he'd be able to take a guess at their personalities. He doesn't get much of a glimpse as soon as he senses Andrea's surprise and fright next to Michonne's hostility.

"Governor, we seem to have a couple guests here!" a man shouts and Naruto tenses when he sees Michonne supporting an unconscious Andrea; a man pointing a gun at their backs. He's ready to step forward but something tells him to attack. Naruto turns around and throws a shuriken at a person's gun, making the man shout a curse as his weapon falls from his hand to the ground.

Knowing the attention the sound must have provoked, Naruto moves behind the man, placing the tip of a kunai close to the vein.

"Clem, go behind me and pass me the gun," he says, mostly because the weapon of this world will make some of them stop than the kunai.

Clementine obeys before her own small hands grab a gun of her own with determination as they move forward. The people raise their weapons when they see them.

"We don't want trouble; we just wanted to check if there were survivors to help," Naruto says, making a show of the situation their member is in as he uses the gun that fell to aim at the one that the man who found Michonne and Andrea called governor. "Let me take the members of my group."

"Well, that's a nice way to talk the one you have, isn't it?"

Naruto smiles sheepishly at the governor person but his grip doesn't lessen. "To be fair, that man was the one who used a gun first. Tell them to lower their weapons and I'll do the same."

The governor seems to think about it before his eyes move to his hand. His head tilts slightly to the side. He looks to the man pointing his gun at Michonne and nods his head to Naruto's before he speaks, looking at him in the eye. "That's an interesting weapon you carry, young man. May I ask where you got it?"

Naruto blinks slowly before he raises an eyebrow, not understanding where this is going. "It's mine, period. Why do you ask?"

"Nothing, just curious about its origin."

"Yeah, well, I don't think you'll find one here. So don't bother looking."

The governor smiles. "Really? And what if I told you I know a person who uses one similar to that one?"

Naruto narrows his eyes. He's pretty sure no one here would know about kunais. Michone and Andrea were somewhat familiar with shurikens as the ninjas of this world seemed to use them frequently, unlike kunai. For this man to say he's seen another person using them…

"What's the name of the person you're talking about?"

The man behind Michonne and Andrea snorts. "Huh. Wouldn't ya like to know, kid?"

"It's Sasuke?" Naruto presses, because Sasuke would be the only one using them besides him. There's no response from the people, so Naruto adds, "Close to my height, pale, permanent scowl with black eyes and hair that kind of looks like a duck's ass?"

Some of them chuckle, others, like the governor, merely smile.

"Oh, yeah. That's him alrigh'. How do you know our own sourpuss?"

Naruto smiles letting out a relieved breath even if he doesn't lower the gun. It's Sasuke he's talking about; he could have pissed them and nothing else. It's better to not lower his guard.

So, hoping Sasuke hasn't annoyed them, Naruto cautiously says, "We're friends."

That seems to surprise them greatly. Naruto doesn't need Kurama's chakra inside him to sense their emotions when they're clearly painted on their faces.

The governor raises an eyebrow, more than slightly disbelieving. "A _friend_ you say?"

Possible enemies or not, if they've met Sasuke, Naruto can understand their confusion. He nods at them in understanding.

"Yeah, I know. How could a nice guy like me be friends with someone who's indifferent on a good day, and a downright bastard every other moment? What can I say, we go way back. I'd consider ourselves childhood friends if not for how we hated each other when we were kids. And teenagers," he adds, because it's true. They're lucky they haven't killed each other, though not for lack of trying on Sasuke's part.

"Sasuke, you said?"

Naruto narrows his eyes. "Yeah, Uchiha Sasuke. He didn't tell you his name?"

"No, he didn't," the governor smiles

Naruto swallows, because even if it's has been a long time since they've been around each other in the last few years, Sasuke's always been a resentful asshole who knew how to take a grudge to the next level. And if they called him by his name when he hasn't given them that information, well, it spells trouble for him. "Uh… Is there a possibility you won't tell him I told you?"

The governor looks at him with something like amusement that puts him on edge in the way only enemy shinobi manages to do. He walks forward, both hands high to show he's unarmed.

"This all seems to have been a misunderstanding, let's talk about it, okay?"

Naruto glances at Michonne, before his eyes go back to the governor. He doesn't seem faced by Naruto's silent accusation.

"You have to understand that we're wary of you as we don't know you. We came for the same reason: to look for survivors and help them." He signals at Andrea's unconscious body. "Your friend here seems to need some professional help. We've a doctor that could look at her.

"Then you could meet the Uchiha boy. He's currently outside but he always comes early the next day. Wouldn't you like to see him?" the governor offers, nodding to where their cars are.

"Clem?" he whispers and he receives a light tug from the back of his shirt in answer. Then Naruto's gaze drifts to where Michonne is. She reluctantly nods at him even though Naruto can see the wariness in her eyes. Meeting them has make her less wary around people but not that much. Naruto can't fault her when shinobi are paranoid bastards too.

"Let's all lower our weapons. I give you your man and you let me help Michonne to carry Andrea, okay?"

"That seems fair," the governor says, nodding at the man behind Michonne to let her move forward as Naruto does the same. Their weapons are still high by the time each member is back to their own group.

"I hope you know what you are doing," Michonne whispers.

"Have you seen Sasuke fight?" he asks the governor instead of answering Michonne. The stiffness of his shoulders and the other men is answer enough. Naruto nods as he gives them a grin. Calling a drop of Kurama's chakra into his hand, Naruto takes the ammo out of the handgun and throws it to the man he took it before he crushes the weapon with a slightly yellowish hand. "Then I know you won't do anything."

Nodding at the governor, Naruto gives him a brightly smile as he throws the destroyed metal to the ground, making his kunai disappear in a small cloud of smoke.

"Let's go then."

* * *

"So how did you met Uchiha?"

Naruto looks up from where Andrea is sleeping. He's worried as this fainting shouldn't happen; she was supposed to be in her last days, he still smiles at them though if only to not let show he's uncomfortable.

"We were classmates. Then teammates," he answers because even if he can that some of them hate Sasuke, which doesn't surprise him as is completely understandable with that attitude of his, they still a faint respect towards him that lets Naruto know they're not enemies.

At seeing the morbid curiosity in their faces, he adds, "And yeah, he's always been like that."

The man he's recently know is called Merle, chuckles. "Kind of funny to picture a kid with that scowly face."

Naruto smirks because an image of kid-Sasuke appears on his mind. "I remember how he kind of knocked out a girl who didn't stop squealing at being paired with him in hand to hand combat. Since then, he was banned from being paired with girls." Mixed fights were banned for quite some time, actually. "Not that they stopped fangirling though," he muttered, because it was true, too.

He knows he shouldn't be giving information about Sasuke that easily but this is not the threatening kind that will get them into serious trouble. Sasuke is kind above normal psychology interrogation, so unless he starts sharing about Sasuke's family nothing he says would actually harm him. What Naruto is doing is more out of petty revenge and because that way he'll be able to read the intentions of the people around him towards his teammate and himself.

So he shares stories about their childhood. Some embarrassing stuff he remembers, mostly of the time they were teammates as there isn't much from their Academy time.

They're still laughing after he's told them how Sasuke and he got tangled into one of Kakashi's challenges with Gal by the time they reach Woodbury.

Naruto doesn't seem that bothered by the fact they took their stuff away as Michonne is. Though he still has those paper seals tied to his wrists with kunais and shurikens inside so that may be the reason why the people standing on the borders of the place with weapons ready don't face him. Even when he feels their eyes especially locked on him.

There are two cars so it wouldn't surprise him if the other car informed them about him. What does surprise him, and slightly throws him out of loop is the feeling he gets running down his spine as soon as he crosses the border.

He hears the people around him tightening their holds on their weapons and on instinct, he changes the position of Andrea in his arms, not knowing what's setting them off. Or not knowing until he turns his head, following the gaze of the man they call governor, not really sure what he's doing by giving them his metaphorical back, Naruto just has an inkling of what he thinks is happening.

His suspicions are confirmed when he sees scribbles lighted up on the wall, a couple of meters away from where he is.

He tilts his head as he inspects the seal. Though he only has enough time to catch a glimpse at it as his senses go haywire. He settles Andrea on his shoulder, arm tightly holding her legs as a kunai appears on his other hand. Three men are pointing their guns at him.

"Look, let's not get trigger happy here and—" Naruto's killer intent creeps out at them when he sees one of the men pointing his gun at Andrea. "Don't even think about it."

Michonne and Clementine press closer to him, ready. The men become stiffer but they don't flinch, probably used to the feeling thanks to Sasuke. The Governor holds a hand up to stop them but Naruto ignores them as he feels Andrea stir.

"How are you feeling?" he asks before throwing a glance at her from the corner of his eye. She still looks pale and weak but her eyes no longer look unfocused.

She nods weakly, hand going to run her head. "I'm fine," she croaks and Naruto can feel Michonne hovering behind him, Clementine close behind, trying to use Michonne's arm to push herself up to get a better look. Something not that necessary as no soon Andrea blinks a couple times, she asks to be pulled down.

Naruto tightens his hold and makes her pay attention to the armed people in front of them.

"This thing has never acted like this," the governor says as explanation.

Naruto frowns, thinking what would have happened before he blinks twice. "It may be my fault. Some of these things get turned on when there's certain… 'energy' around them," he says, pressing his chakra tightly inside him. He usually lets it hover in the air so he can get a better understanding of his surroundings, but apparently he can't do it here with whatever seal Sasuke's placed.

"I'm sorry, okay?" he grumbles, making his kunai disappear. "You said Sasuke will come tomorrow, right? He can come and check them if you don't believe me, He'll tell you the same."

Setting Andrea down, Naruto glances at the seal. It's fainter than before but there's still some blue light coming out of it that probably won't disappear until he moves a couple meters away.

"Well, that's complicated stuff," he murmurs as the governor shows them the way to the medic bay, because it's true. Jiraya's tried to teach him sealing and thanks to that Naruto can understand most of them. Jiraya mentioned something about it being in his blood or the kind. However, while Naruto can make them stop working, thing that Jiraya mentioned decrypt being one of the most difficult stuff, his calligraphy sucks so much for him to create the more complicate ones. He could probably create some, but with the way he writes, they'd end exploding. Or that's what Jiraya said.

Still, he's learned what the seal is about and that's enough for now.

* * *

They've the meds for Andrea's influenza. That and more things that are important for her health that she painfully needs. And for that, Naruto owes them, perhaps not some of the men that look dubious, but to this town in general. The doctor is nice enough with them, not mentioning how Naruto always stays a couple meters away from her reach, even when it's really weird to see him clearly nervous at her presence. What can he say? He respect doctors but also has had enough experiences with them to be wary and fearful of them. She reassures them, but it doesn't do much to calm him. He's still worried in a way he knows would only stop once he sees his friend standing in front of him in one piece.

Though that'll probably take a while. The doctor only allowed Michonne inside the room as his nervous hovering would not help.

"Will she be alright, Naruto?"

Glancing down at the girl sitting next to him, Naruto gives a bright smile, placing his arm across her shoulders and squeezing lightly. "Of course, she will, Clem, believe it!" he says, feeling slightly guilty because he's learned he shouldn't make these kind of promises; war has taught him sometimes they can cause more pain.

However, he also knows when someone needs to hear it. And Clem needs it.

She nods and when the guard set to watch them tells them that he can lead them to a free room to rest, they refuse, choosing to wait for their friends.

He doesn't seem very happy but doesn't press the issue and the silence again falls. At least his hearing is pretty good, so it doesn't matter if he has to stay outside, he still can hear everything going on around. It was quiet the first couple hours, but after Merle got inside, things got a bit chatty. The doors are open so he doesn't had to eavesdrop anymore. Naruto still stays outside, mostly because the conversation seems to be between Merle and Andrea. However, when there's a spike of hostility coming from Michonne, Naruto steps in, ignoring the men standing close to the door.

"I plucked you and your mute here out of the dirt, blondie." Merle continues saying, glancing at him briefly once he decides to stand close to Andrea. Clementine is glaring alongside Michonne. "You're lucky your whiskered friend here was interesting enough to not let you out there to die, too. I saved your asses, so how about a thank you?"

"You had a gun on us," Michonne hisses at the same time Naruto says 'thank you', loud enough for even the governor, who is just walking inside, to hear.

Naruto gives them a slight bow. "Thanks for using your resources to help my friend." He stands up. "I understand you not wanting to give us our weapons, but you also took our other stuff. We had clothes and other supplies inside those bags."

"You're really different from Uchiha," the governor murmurs with a small smirk. "And don't worry, kid. We'll give it to you on your way to the front gates."

Michonne takes a couple steps forward. "Good. Show us the way."

"I thought your friend wanted to meet the Uchiha boy. Or are you going to just leave?"

"We'll wait outside," Michonne says, glancing at Naruto over her shoulder. "We don't like being kept under guard."

"Under ward? You're being taken care of."

"You've kept us locked inside this building. Always someone armed close," Andrea points out.

"I'm sorry, I really am, but we're only doing this to protect our people. When don't know you or your intentions, perhaps once we do, we can trust each other. Just understand: You're not prisoners here, you're guests," he says, his gaze staying in Naruto's form for a second longer.

Naruto arches a dubious eyebrow. "So we can leave whenever we want?"

"Of course. But we don't open the gates past dusk; draws too much attention."

The governor obviously wants them to stay. He doesn't outright offers it or even shows it with his mannerisms, but to Naruto is clear nonetheless. He doesn't know if it's because his relation with Sasuke though.

It probably isn't the only reason, or that's what he thinks as Merle's conversation with Andrea finishes and the governor comes. The governor is also doing it for the information Andrea possesses of Merle's brother.

"If you know Sasuke, then you know I can jump those gates. Why shouldn't we just leave and wait outside?"

"You could," he says with a light shrug before he nods at Andrea's direction. "But I would suggest at staying the night. Your friend could use a solid night's sleep. She wouldn't last another day in her condition; she's still weak. So let me led you to your rooms for the night; tomorrow we can continue talking over breakfast. You can meet Uchiha and then if you want to leave, we'll return your weapons. Extra ammo, food for the road, some meds. Keys to a vehicle, if you want one."

There's a silent conversation going between them as the think over their options, mostly consisting of meaningful looks (and glares in Michonne's case). In the end, Andrea is the one that nods in acceptance and asks, "Rooms?"

"One for you; the other is for Naruto." He looks back at her with a raised eyebrow as he motions them to follow him. "Or would you prefer to share a room?"

"We'll share rooms," Michonne immediately intercedes, cutting any question that the governor wants to inquire with her sharp tone.

"It's okay. It's obvious you would want to stay together when being in a new place," he says, stepping out of the building, giving them the sight of a dark, lonely road, though Naruto can sense the emotions of a good amount of people around him. "Wellcome to Woodbury."

They go outside. There's a small silence as they walk, the others looking curiously around them, while Naruto tries to count how many people there are. It'd have been a nice walk, only made uncomfortable by Michonne's constant scowling. It's clear she wants to demand her sword again so Naruto decides to make small talk because while most of times Michonne's pretty level headed, there are times she gets as worse as him, especially whenever she feels inside an uncomfortable situation.

"So what does Sasuke do here?"

"He teaches," the governor replies easily, glancing back at him when he realizes he's stopped walking. "He helps some of our member with their physical training."

Naruto's face feels like he just licked some lemon. "And nobody's died?"

"None so far."

Well, that's surprising. Sasuke's teachers have been Kakashi and Orochimaru. Kakashi was a lazy bum with a streak for cruel, sadistic trainings. Orochimaru was probably worse, because if he's learned something from his time with Jiraya is that powerful people tend to take stuff into a whole new painful way. He remembers sitting, a large rock hanging on top of him only tied by a rope he was supposed to hold while sleeping. It was supposed to improve his reflexes while he was resting. And it kind of worked. Though now he gets kind of ballistic if he's woken up by some kind of stone.

"So he doesn't make them do impossible stuff like running with a giant rocks tied on their backs or do pull up bars while a fire is hot below or stay in weird poses with the help of pointy things?"

The governor gives him a weird look. "Should he?"

"No, no." He shakes his head, trying to erase thoughts of training as he continues walking. "He doesn't come really late and gives lame excuses to these training or reads porn in public either, right?"

"Do I want to ask?" Clementine says, clearly having beaten up the governor in asking first.

"Our teacher was an ass. I just wanted to know if he emulated his teaching tactics," he says smiling at her, as if that answers all. He looks back at the governor. "So you told me Sasuke was going to return tomorrow, right?"

They're entering another building, this one empty. "... Yes, I'm sure. It usually doesn't take him longer than a day to make these small trips."

Naruto nods, not sensing a lie.

"Do you know where he goes?"

The governor smiles. "To get supplies, I assume; he doesn't accept like to accept things from us that he can't get it himself. That friend of yours is too paranoid for his own good."

And isn't it sad how Naruto kind of approves it? He sighs. "Yeah, I get it. Paranoia kind of goes in our line of work. "

Stopping in front of a door, the governor turns around to look at him better. "And what kind of work might you be talking about?"

"A deadly one."

Giving one last grin to the governor as he steps inside the room with his friends, Naruto chirps a friendly "Good night!" before closing the door.

When he can't feel any people within earshot, he turns around to face the others, a serious expression settled on his face.

"What did you get?" Michonne asks, everyone in the room knowing about his ability to sense emotions and intentions.

Naruto just smiles.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Comments?


	10. Reunions

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "A horde?" Tasha asks.  
> "No. Something worse," he growls, his head turning from side to side, before tilting it upwards. "Grab your bags."  
> "Then what's wrong?" Sophia asks, voice slightly breathless from moving too quickly to go for the long metal stick she now carries.  
> "Him," he says, pointing up at the branch of a tree where not a second later that cursed Uchiha appears, legs slightly bent and eyes as disinterested as they always are. Though there's a tiny smirk on his lips now, more amused than surprised.

If there is one thing Sasuke hates the most about all of Kakashi's flaws, it's without a doubt, his permanent habit of coming late to _every_ meeting he's had over the time he's worked in a team (Barring important missions, of course). That and mostly focusing on team exercises and the kind, instead of individual training. Sasuke's known for a long time team seven was the first team his former teacher had ever taken and, now that Sasuke looks back, it clearly showed his lack of experience by how he has taught them.

Kakashi's been used to being a team leader or an anbu captain—He wasn't a mentor but someone made to lead and guide. He knows how to take charge of situation and use the advantage of the skills people have to offer to be able to complete a mission in a way that only few can.

Sasuke begrudgingly agrees that Kakashi is a strategic genius.

So going from that mindset to teach inexperienced kids must have been difficult for him, especially considering they were the first team he accepted and that he kind of sucks at the nurture aspect of the job.

Sasuke faintly knew and recognized that; he just didn't give it much thought. It was just something Sasuke never really bothered thinking about and just shrugged it off as Kakashi's incompetence and Konoha's lack of ability at assigning teams.

Now, though? _Now_ he thinks about it often. How Sakura screamed like a banshee most of the time and was more interested in how she looked than in training, while Naruto's stubborn and boisterous personality always got them in trouble. He even admits he acted like a brat those times, though he did have the ability to back up most of his boastings.

Separated they were hard to deal with; together, with their constant fights however, they were a nightmare and Sasuke is somewhat amazed Kakashi hadn't attempted to kill them in their earlier days as a team. Because going from expecting certain kind of competency to something that's clearly less than academy level if he's trying to be positive, well… it's eye opening, to say the least.

That, and headache inducing most of the times. He understands now—because even Suigetsu's idiocy hadn't prepared him enough. Probably because from all his flaws, the Kiri ninja had skill.

He's not entirely sure that he's not going to crumble in relief once he sees Naruto, someone that from all his faults it's an excellent fighter. He hopes that when he demands for a spar, he won't lower himself and hug him in relief when he accepts. And he will. Sasuke's going to make sure of it.

Actually, now that he thinks about it, he is kind of terrified he would do something as embarrassing anyways, because teaching is screwing him over. He constantly itches for a good fight or something to help him release the tension that's been forming in his muscles since walking wasn't an action painful to accomplish anymore. He really needs to unwind without using his chakra as his coils are still kind of burnt out as his medical skills are few and simplistic. So a spar would probably solve most of his problems and would keep him from annihilating all the people in—

"Wake up, pretty boy, they're coming."

 _Well, at least teaching others is increasing my patience_ , Sasuke thinks as he answers with a grunt, not bothering to inform her he's been meditating and not sleeping, as he opens his eyes and stands up. He follows Rowan's gaze and sees the people slowly coming, no longer jogging as they started, but at least they're not almost crawling as they were the first week Sasuke made them run around Woodbury.

"Is Martinez coming?" he asks, because is mostly Martinez the one who acts like his guard dog, usually exchanging places with her in teaching how to handle guns and survival in general while Sasuke deals with physical conditioning and hand to hand.

"If you went to the meetings for this stuff you'd know Martinez is preparing for a mission," she says just by the time Sasuke's hearing picks up the conversation going on at the front.

"—and It's not fair he always tells us what to do but always spends all the time relaxing," a breathless boy close to his age says to the ones near to him, thinking Sasuke won't be able to hear him.

Haley, a twenty year old, chuckles. "Tell 'im that yourself to see what he does, Patrick."

"If you've the balls, then I'll support you." Noah, an eighteen year old, pats his back before increasing his speed and running all the way to where Rowan waits for them next to the handmade cooler. The children that stay and watch are walking towards them, water bottles in their hands.

After a long groan from Patrick, no one more bothers speaking, choosing to not waste the little breath they have.

"You've a ten minute break," Sasuke says when everyone is within earshot.

A guy who's never done any serious exercise in all his twenty-three years of life, groans. "Come on, man, we just came. You used to give us twenty minutes!"

"Stop it, Garg," Zach says to his friend, knowing the ones who complain are the ones getting the worse beat up.

"Don't worry, just this day you'll rest ten minutes. Then you will return to the twenty minutes break of always."

There's a hopeful surprise on the younger faces as they shout in triumph, while the older ones look suspiciously wary. Sasuke approves the caution and he makes sure to share that by nodding at the ones who are looking at him in the eye, waiting for what's to come.

Giving a whole minute for the naïve to bask in their joy, he adds, "Net time you'll do two more rounds."

The silence that follows mixed with their muted misery as the only loud present is greatly satisfying. Now he understands what Orochimaru, Kabuto and Kakashi felt whenever they made him do impossible exercises. It almost makes him want to smile.

Gargiulo stands up, face red from the running and rage. "What about you, huh? You're always there sitting and not doing anything!"

Sasuke pats his leg with the cane he no longer needs but still uses for the easy weapon it provides. However, he knows thanks to the doctor that the injury that took him almost three weeks to completely heal, most people in this world heal up in months. He uses that knowledge to his favor, already made sure he erased that information from the Doctor with his sharingan.

"Yeah, right, as if you really need that. If you believe that—"

Sasuke stops him from continuing talking by placing the cane under his jaw. Easily erasing the large distance separating them with a quick sealless shunshin.

"If you know I don't need my leg to destroy you, then why provoke me? You forget I'm not making you come; I don't demand you to run, so don't complain. When you die, don't blame me either, you fool."

Sasuke leaves him setting on his spot, not waiting to see if he'll stay or not.

"How you seem to have recovered, stand up. I'll beat reflexes on you. Be prepared to block."

Holding loosely the cane at his side while making a show of favoring his uninjured leg, Sasuke stands in a loose position while waiting for the others to do the same. Usually, he makes them do physical conditioning at least two times a week for two hours to build stamina, while other two days are for building their attack and defensive prowess by teaching them the Academy's forms.

And finally, in their last day of training, he always makes them all fight against him so he can see how much they have improved and what he needs to work out.

That's the day they dread the most and he patiently waits for. They'll have two free days without him after this; he has to make sure they're going to feel the training even while resting until next Monday comes.

"Ready?" he asks before launching forward.

* * *

Almost two hours later, Sasuke is once again sitting with his legs crossed and closed eyes, groaning bodies are sprawled on the grass laying across from him. They seem to have grasped the importance of teamwork when one is as weak as they are. Their plan was faulty and gave much to be desired but at least he finally got a light work up from them.

He's lowered his standards so much is not even funny.

"Here," Rowan voice calls from his left and Sasuke extends his arm to receive the water bottle with only a nod in her direction as recognition of her actions. Rowan huffs but still sits next to him, drinking her own water, her irritation clear in her brusque movements. The slight tremble of her hands the only hint indicating her uneasiness, as it always happens after these kind of mock fights.

"You know it's creepy how you barely sweat whenever this 'all against one' happens, right?"

There's no answer coming from him, but he doesn't think Rowan expects one from him. She just continues being silent next to him as both look at the people finally attempting to stand up, looking red in the face and _so_ tired; their heavy breathings accompanying the sweat that falls from their skin. The ones that escaped the worse helping the others that are worse and are barely able to move.

"I hope we never find ourselves fighting on opposite sides," Rowan mutters solemnly as they continue to watch. This time Sasuke does bother to look at her from the corner of his eyes, only to find her steadily staring at him. "I was one of the snippers that day you first woke up. You stopped my gun with a pen. I didn't even think that was possible, but the things you can do are really terrifying."

Sasuke gives her a condescending smirk. "Are you afraid of me then?"

She swallows. "I am. You're really frightening for someone so young."

"And yet you're the one who constantly requests to shadow me."

"Someone has to do it." She shrugs, placing the water bottle on the ground next to her before settling against a trunk. "Besides, you kind of remind me of my younger brother."

Sasuke can let the conversation die there, but he still has to wait for the Governor to come from a briefing he send a clone to spy, so he doesn't currently have anything better to do until it dispels. He mentally shrugs and once again throws her a look. "Does your brother also scares you?"

"Not in the sense you think, but yes. Though I was referring more of your eyes; they're similar." He arches an eyebrow and she rolls her eyes at him. "He had dissociation so he couldn't really feel much of anything. Or understand what he felt, anyways. His anxiety didn't help him much either."

Narrowing his eyes, Sasuke turns his head to glare at her better, the 'explain' on them heavily implied.

She crosses her arms, unimpressed. Though Sasuke can still notice the way her eyes soften and her lips briefly tremble before she sighs. "You look like he always did when no one was looking at him. He was good at imitating other people's emotions but only when he was around people. When he was alone though, it was as if he didn't know how to act. You both look at everyone like people on a magazine. Maybe it was because emotions didn't come easily to him, or at all."

"It sounds useful," he says, taking a gulp from his bottle.

"He used to say that, too: the pros outweighed the cons. But… I remember the day our dad died. He was nineteen and from when we received the news to the funeral's day, he looked lost. He told me he loved our dad and that he knew he should feel sad, but there was nothing. He had to put something in his eyes to cry and to accompany mom looking like a normal grieving son. In the end he even wondered if he actually loved anyone."

She looks at him with a frown. "When I look at you, it reminds me of him before he went to a doctor. There's a weight on your shoulders it shouldn't be there. Too heavy for someone your age to carry it alone."

Sasuke returns her gaze evenly.

"Are you offering then?" he says at last, a cruel smirk forming on his lips as his eyes slowly bleed red. "Do you presume yourself strong enough to carry my sins? I can show you, if you want. Don't go blaming me if you end insane though."

There's fear in the tenseness of her shoulders and the smell of cold swear. She clenches her jaw, her frightened eyes never leaving his mismatched ones. But her determination only lasts a couple of seconds before she's blinking and looking away.

"I already told you: You scare me. I don't think I would be of help."

Sasuke snorts, his eyes returning to normal as he stands up. The Governor wouldn't be in his house, but he can still sneak in and read some of his documents without alerting any guard.

"Do you have someone important in your life, Uchiha?" Rowan asks when he gives his first steps away from her.

 _No_ , he wants to answer, as there's no one alive. However, his eyes drifts unconsciously to the bandage covering his palm.

"I do," he ends answering, perhaps because of the personal story she offered.

"Are they alive?"

"He is." Sasuke clenches his hand before turning his head and throwing a nasty smirk at her. "I'm waiting for him to come so I can kill him."

Without looking back, he walks away, leaving the still exhausted people he's had to teach and his guard behind.

* * *

"What a surprise is seeing you here, Uchiha," the Governor says as he notices his presence in his home. He's getting better; now it only took him three minutes to spot him. "If you continue coming here to rest, others will get the wrong idea."

It disgusts him the techniques the Governor uses to get a rise out of him. They are mostly comments that poke insistently to find some weakness under his façade. He's good at masking most up but his temper has let the Governor know that family is one quick way to make him loose his cool. _That_ and that he loathes crowding, insinuations, innuendos or even simple flirting directed on his person.

Since then, the Governor has made sure to use subtly one of them to rile him up from time to time.

"I don't think anyone would be able to rest in peace with the biter you have in your closet. You know why I'm here," Sasuke snaps. It doesn't make the other tense but the coldness in his presence grows. It's true that since the Governor has learned Sasuke won't mention it to anyone, he's relaxed as much as someone can when someone has the clear upper hand on him. But he still doesn't know why Sasuke keeps it squirt and that's enough to make him constantly wary.

Even so, the governor hasn't gotten rid of his daughter and that by itself says a lot about the man's psyche.

"You come here for a lot of things, how could I guess which one is this time, um?" The Governor, sitting now in front of his desk, starts looking into some of the papers sprawled across the surface, placing two more he's brought inside a notebook. "Should I assume that you're planning on taking another supply trip?"

Sasuke gives a grunt as his answer. He's also reading the papers, though without that much attention, knowing the Governor wouldn't read any important document when he's in the same room with him.

"You've chosen a bad moment to leave. Hasn't Rowan informed you we had a mission?"

The choose of pronoun makes him know the Governor is participating, so it must hold some kind of importance as the man doesn't leave in just any supply run.

"Were you planning in bringing biters inside?"

The Governor looks up, probably already knowing he's trying to fish for information. "I was concerned by the fact the barrier's power diminishes once you leave."

That's a no then. Though even in the missions Sasuke accompanies them to bring biters to the entertainment of the people in Woodbury, the governor doesn't come.

"The biters only realize Woodbury is there, they still can't trespass the barrier I made."

"It still worries the people inside who sees them lurking when you're not here."

"As if you really care, _governor_ ," Sasuke mocks, before he stands up. "Don't forget that your act doesn't work with me. I already informed you; my part of the deal is done. Just keep yours."

Not waiting an answer, Sasuke turns around, an easy genjutsu to disappear at ready. Perhaps a bit dramatic but infuriate others is what he has to let out some steam without causing damage lately.

"You and I aren't so different," the governor says, stopping him from continuing. "I can see it in your eyes; how you sought control, how you are barely holding it yourself. You haven't said anything about my daughter to the others. But I have to wonder, it really is to have the upper hand, or it is because you would have done the same?"

Itachi's small smile while being under the Edo Tensei comes into his memory without permission and his shoulders tense slightly. He can feel the palm of his right hand tingling as his eyes change into the purple and red combination. He glances over his shoulder, meets the governor's gaze.

"Don't ever compare me to you," he snarls, face twisting into something ugly and disgusted before he shunshin's away from the room.

It is later when he's jumping through trees with the morning light and the small bag he carries over his shoulders whenever he leaves, that he thinks in the governor's words. Because it's those times, when Sasuke is alone in his room or taking one of those trips the governor still thinks are for supplies that he ponders about how the world he's currently in reassembles what he wants to create in his own world. There's a common enemy lurking, always close and dangerous, making the people suspicious, as they sharp themselves, never letting forget that without being prepared, they'd die.

However, instead of unite them against a common cause, it has made them wary of the unknown, highlighting the faults mistrust can cause when survival is the only thing that matters. Morals are lost and like in the first days of Academy people close into the small groups they've first formed, not all that brave to go into another one or let others in.

It's worse than the Academy, of course. The _fear_ makes it worse and it's clear to see it from an outside perspective.

Sasuke wants to think that under him it would be different. He would be able to herd and mold them into what he wants. A world without corruption and people like his brother than are used as scapegoats for the ones in control to retain their power.

There won't a governor in his world to take advantage of people weak wills.

But that's not true, isn't it? How many people like the Governor are there in his world who would act the same? How many 'governors' would there really be?

A lot.

The governor disgusts him, so why hasn't he killed him yet? Is it because he understands his twisted motives of always wanting to be in control even if he doesn't like it?

_"_ _You and I aren't so different."_

The branch he steps on cracks at the misbalance on his chakra but Sasuke is already jumping onto another sturdier one before it gives in under him. He stops, takes a map from his bag and opens it. It's filled with red dots and blue lines. Parts he's already searched and others with too many biters. He's been searching the surroundings from where the portal opened but so far there's been nothing coming up.

Though the last place he went had a town with a library that wasn't surrounded by those beings and he's discovered democracy by rummaging through the aisles.

It sounded like an answer from what little he's been able to understand. There are more ideologies and he really just wishes to sit and read, but it's already Sunday and the sun is starting to hide. He doesn't want to run when it's dark so the book about this world's politics rest heavy inside his bag alongside two other more.

He sighs, curls the toes of his feet that feel constricted insider the boots he now wears and readies for another jump.

"Come on, bambi, look up," he hears someone mutter, stopping him dead on his tracks. The sounds comes from far away and it's only thanks to his sharp senses that he manages to even pick it up. Then there's the sound of a projectile being thrown before it smacks flesh. Sasuke jumps somewhere near when the unmistakable sound of an animal dying reaches him.

He hides behind leaves and sees a man holding a weapon walking towards the bleeding doe. He's gruff looking as the few people not from Woodbury that he's seen are. There's another smaller man with a cap following with similar slanted eyes as his own. He's smiling as he looks at the wounded animal, two dead squirrels on his hold.

"We're lucky, this will lasts us for two days at least."

The gruff man grunts as he starts lifting the doe and with a practiced ease he bleeds him out, opens the soft belly and takes the insides to then put them inside a bucket the smaller man carries, ignoring the look of utter disgust the other gives him.

"… I seriously don't think Beth gave me the bucket for that."

"We're close. Carol can make some soup with them. Let's go."

The smaller man nods absently, resignation written all over his face. "Probably for the better. Hershel says Lori's date is close. The baby could pop out any moment now. Better to save the meat for when that happens."

"You talk too much."

Sasuke ignores any more of their conversation and glances at the path that would take him to Woodbury before looking towards both men are leaving. He probably shouldn't bother following but they're not that far from Woodbury, a couple hours at best, and they seem to be from a settled group.

His fingers trace lightly the fabric of the bag by his side before he lets out a soft exhale. Sasuke then follows the two figures from above.

Being silent comes easily and even if the trees aren't as strong as they were in his world and he has to stay on top of some as he waits for them to advance, he still manages to not break any more branches.

It's an hour after, that Sasuke hears commotion ahead. The others below him don't notice but they still seem to know that danger is close. It makes him know that the place where their group must be staying is one surrounded by biters.

With a slight bend of knees, Sasuke jumps to another tree, this time aiming for a higher place. He follows the noise until the forest recedes and then building the trees hides is revealed.

"It's a more secure place than Woodbury," Sasuke mutters as soon as he sees it. The fences are a flimsy protection but the walls of the buildings inside are sturdy and the place seems easy to protect.

A quick recollection of the books he's read to understand better this world makes him know that what he's seeing is a prison as it doesn't seem like a place run entirely by military.

The beings that surround the place seem to have noticed the two men he left behind as they start moving towards them. The people he's noticed are behind the fences but outside the buildings notice as well; they ready their weapons.

Sasuke has an idea of what's going to happen so he doesn't linger, choosing instead to inspect better the place; look for another entrances and weak points.

It's not until he's almost on the posterior part that he finds a liability. Part of one of the biggest buildings is partly destroyed, along with the fence. There is as great amount of biters wandering, but most seem to be inside. Only a couple are close of the bundlers.

He could use the hole to go inside without the people inside knowing. It would be easy to stick to the ceiling and go to the building they're using ads living quarters. Killing them would offer him a secured place, but... He can make seals like I'm Woodbury to protect it from biters and even humans. He can construct traps to hunt and make the entrance harder. He can turn the place into a fortress.

However, make the electricity work, turn the ground into fertile soil, clean and organize everything in place: make the place habitable? That wouldn't be easy. He remembers his genin days doing C-ranks and while not difficult, they were strenuous jobs. Though what he learnt while doing them will now be helpful with restoring the place. However, while Sasuke knows he can do it even if he recognizes it would be an arduous job to do, it would still be a waste of time when there are people here that could aid him.

Why do it when there are volunteers already working on them?

Sasuke smirks.

It's always good to have a backup plan. And a safe house is even better.

Looking up at the sky, he sees it's already late. It's not really cold, however, and there's a nice roof above the building hidden from prying eyes that he could use to sleep. So, nodding to himself, he jumps while he takes some paper and ink from his bag, a simple seal already in his mind. This place is not that far from Woodbury but it would still do good to have it tagged, that way he would be able to always find it.

* * *

There was something captivating about how the sun slowly came to be in the sky, with its light, warmth colors and lazy ascend. The sounds surrounding the trees increasing steadily even in the middle of the cold of winter, leaves looking sad and dead but not as much as they did when he came into this world. The days are getting longer, a sign of spring being near, if the similarities between their worlds also follows the stations.

Kurama, even with the desperation filling his chest, still takes his time to watch the dawn, almost religiously, every day. He finds solace in its view, though perhaps it's the beast in him, the one that is a fox as well as a being made of chakra, who makes him awake at early hours, just to catch some sight of the rising sun in the same way the patches of light across the ground in cold weather turns him drowsy and lazy with its warmth, making him yearn to not have a goal to pursue so he could just lay and rest, let the nice heat caress his fur.

However, he knows that even if he tried to reach that comfort, he won't be able to truly enjoy it, so it's better to not let his thoughts dwell in them. Not now.

Perhaps when he finds Naruto and can assure himself of his health with his own eyes and senses, he will be able to enjoy the benefits of what being outside a human offers. Before the whole jinchuriki ordeal came into the human's minds, he used to pass the time in clearings, surrounded by trees similar to the one he currently is, just lying on the grass, napping. Those didn't have the noise he finds now in nature, though that most likely was caused by the anger and hatred his own chakra possessed, scaring the animals away. Now, that he has, shall he dare say it, _mellowed,_ and malice doesn't to him like a second skin, no one is scared of him anymore.

It probably helps that he's not as big as an apartment complex, too.

"Do I want to ask why you're sulking to that beetle?"

Eyes not leaving the small insect who is being bold enough to try to rest on his ears, he glances up at Tyresse, "I'm not the one who is suicidal enough to not recognize a predator when it sees it. That's why I hate insects."

His sister, who has been packing behind them, lifts her head up, "Hate is a strong word, isn't it? Some hate a specific one or two, but all insects?"

Snapping his teeth at the flying monster, Kurama growls, "They remind me of a younger sister. She's an energetic annoyance on a good day."

He sees the siblings exchanging a look. "Your… 'sister' reminds you of an insect?"

"She is a seven tailed beetle."

"… Of course. That's reasonable."

Kurama stands when the beetle finally flies away. He looks at Tasha before his eyes go to where the others have finished packing. "Is everyone ready?"

He receives a nod as an answer and with little else to add, he turns around, showing his back, to carry the heaviest bag. The car stopped working two days ago and they've been reduced to walk. Kurama is not weak anymore and has gained some height, so he's being doing anything he can to hurry their slow pace. He knows that he currently would have better chances at searching alone, but he also accepts that Sophia needs companionship from others like her. Since he can remember, humans have worked better in communities. They're a weak specie that gains from forming numbers, unlike himself.

Thus he stays, because anytime that he seriously considers leaving, he only has to look at her resolute stance and bright determined eyes to make his resolution crumble. He just knows that if he leaves her and Naruto finds out, he would look at him with disappointed eyes. The boy is quick to anger but, while he can deal with his temper, is his disappointment usually laced with understanding that is the hardest to deal.

Probably is because of the itch so similar to guilt he feels whenever the humans he finds himself surrounded with ask for a rest, that when he catches an annoyingly familiar scent his irritation only growls, making his fur stand to no end and tense the muscles underneath, making his posture go as tight as string.

"Stand up. Rest is over."

Ben, who was leaning against a tree, groans. "Can you give us a couple minutes? We've been walking for hours, you know?"

His face is covered with an arm. He hasn't seen how strung he is, hasn't heard his warning.

Adam snorts. "Not to complain, but the Ben's right. If we're going to encounter some walkers, we need to at least be able to run."

"Dad's with me, see?"

"I said _stand up_ , everyone!" he snaps and that does it. Ben immediately grabs his weapon, as does everyone else before moving closer to each other until their backs are at arm length. The humans are no longer afraid of him but there's still certain wariness he senses on them that has not yet faded. Still, they trust his instincts. It has saved them a couple times now.

"A horde?" Tasha asks.

"No. Something worse," he growls, his head turning from side to side, before tilting it upwards. "Grab your bags."

"Then what's wrong?" Sophia asks, voice slightly breathless from moving too quickly to go for the long metal stick she now carries.

"Him," he says, pointing up at the branch of a tree where not a second later that cursed Uchiha appears, legs slightly bent and eyes as disinterested as they always are. Though there's a tiny smirk on his lips now, more amused than surprised.

"Don't look at him in the eyes. Never look at him in the eyes," he growls, not heading his own advice and meeting the Uchiha's gaze.

Sasuke scoffs. "Why would I waste the sharingan on weak people I can easily kill without it?"

"Sadistic pleasure? That sounds right up your kind alley."

"My kind? Wouldn't that be yours? Not that you would be able to do much in your current form, of course. You're so small."

"Small in comparison of your ego? Even in my real form I would still be small, brat."

There's a thick forming on Sasuke's eyebrow, similar to the way it formed when he was young and still on team seven. "Considering all of you can be compressed into some seal so easily?"

"I know, it sucks. Wish we could have done the same with all your family. Less egomaniacal bastards hell-bent in world domination all around."

The air is heavy and thick around them.

Kurama clenches his teeth, but doesn't answer to the taunt. He can sense the anger boiling from Sasuke because of his words. Kurama has gained a good reign of his anger in comparison to before, unlike Sasuke who drowns in it. He could easily make him snap with a few choice of words. Sasuke knows this, too, Kurama can see it in the way he stands and looks just a hair away from battle.

But they both know nothing will be gain from it. They, sadly, need each other to go back. And Naruto.

That doesn't mean he will trust an Uchiha, of course. So he sighs and looks away. He wants to think he's the mature one in this conversation, but that glimpse he catches in the Uchiha's eyes is satisfaction and that grates his nerves.

"Let's cut the crap, brat. We need each other, so we'll have to wait until we can try to kill each other." He lets out an exasperated breath. "I don't trust you, but I'm sure you know Naruto does. So we'll have to wait until one of us finds him so we can have him as buffer, because the way I see it, without him, we'll try to kill each other."

Sasuke stares intently at him for long seconds. His eyes don't morph into the sharingan but Kurama can see a speck of red in them. It's not reassuring.

The fog of dull emotions recedes from the Uchiha, a soft exhalation escaping through his nose. He gives a glance to the others before saying, "Go straight from where I came from until you reach a stream. Follow it until you reach the chakra signatures. Go to them. They're inside a fortress like place. Use it as a base for them while you search for Naruto."

The 'Ditch them' is pretty clear in his words. Considering he hasn't acknowledged his companions, aside that calculating first glance all shinobis give to determine the treat level one has, it's not so hard to guess though.

Kurama can practically taste the offense radiating from the people behind him. But he won't raise an issue of it. Is not the time for it, so he accepts the offer for what it is.

"And what about you, brat?"

"I'll check periodically. And if I find him, I'll led him there."

Kurama nods.

"I suggest to not use any overpowered technique or sage mode if you know it, the natural energy here isn't friendly," he says, mostly because he doesn't like feeling like he's owing him something to an Uchiha, even if it's information he may or may not use. "If you find Naruto first, beware of emotional outbursts."

The usual Uchiha grunt is his answer. He then looks up to the sky, posture shifting slightly for a jump. "Don't destroy the place, fox."

"Don't go mind raping people, freaky eyes."

There's a hint of a smirk as the Uchiha's eyes flash red, pinwheels spinning.

"Don't look," Kurama mutters, but nothing happens. The Uchiha jumps to another branch soundlessly, only taking him a couple seconds for him to be away from sight.

Kurama follows him with his senses until that fog of apathy is easy to ignore. There's a conversation already starting. Not loud as they unconsciously talk in whispers, trying to decide if the brat's words are real. Adam's words are mostly annoyed grumbles and Tyresse is even doubtful.

"Nine," Sasha finally says. "You know him better, what do you think?"

Kurama looks over his shoulder, his eyes not looking at her but at Sophia standing close, taking into account her disheveled state, strands of hair stuck to her sweat covered forehead and clothes already too dirty for comfort. Her eyes are slightly sunken, cheeks sharper than before because of the lack of current meals, body thin but strong. She's no longer the kid he has found a little more than a month ago; someone who barely could take care of herself. Still a child but a resilient one.

He looks at the others and sees the same. They're tired and want to rest for at least one night without having to always wonder if they'll be safe. Sasuke's attitude hasn't sold it in their minds, but they want to believe. And that's the problem, isn't it? Hope is a dangerous weapon, worse than any physical pain could sometimes be.

He remembers people being kind to Naruto when he was very young, offering discounts on stores and candies when he entered looking hesitant and afraid. He remembers Naruto giving bright smiles after buying, a skip on his step that spoke of innocent naivety. He remembers him returning with a grin, eyes alight with happiness, a hand held out for a greeting and an enthusiastic shout of 'Hi, mister!' only to receive cold eyes and disgusting realization.

" _We're not attending_ ," the person would say with a harsh tone, fear palpable on the way they gripped their broom. " _Go away_."

Rinse and repeat. Once, two, three and more times more. But not that much. Word quickly spread when there's fear empowering it.

" _The demon boy has bright blonde hair_ ," they would whisper, not loud enough for Naruto to catch but Kurama did. " _It has whisker marks, the marks of the fox_."

Kurama remembers wishing the seal holding him was not so tight, wishing he could be able to let more of his chakra outside it so he could enhance his jinchuriki's ears, enough for Naruto to always hear what they all whispered of him. To crush that hope that always manifested when he met someone knew.

He now hates that self and is so glad his plans never succeeded. Not that it would have done anything if they had as it wasn't long before rumors spread and every adult in Konoha knew what Naruto looked like.

Yet, the hope a young Naruto always felt, only to be soon crushed was more painful than the name calling and avoidance did to him.

Can he give someone hope? Can he give them that when he was not so sure of the outcome himself? Sasuke may be one of Naruto's precious people but his history of betraying others isn't exactly sparkly clean.

He probably wouldn't bother, if they all were adults. But he looks at Sophia and sees the confidence she has on him. The same he and his siblings gave Naruto when they put their trust on him.

Perhaps if the kid didn't have blue eyes. Perhaps if Sophia didn't have blond hair.

The wrong shade, the wrong texture, but—

"I'll go check. You can rest in the meantime."

"Check?"

"I'm faster," he answers Donna in a way of explanation. Taking a last glance to Sophia, he adds, "I'll be back soon."

He then leaves without giving them more. The sounds of the start of a conversation becoming distant with each step he takes. He runs until he reaches the stream before turning left, following the current.

It's twenty minutes after leaving that he halts. He hasn't picked any signature yet, but he has a familiar scent near. It's faint and just barely there, but at least not gone. He can help but be glad it hasn't rained for a couple days; he wouldn't have noticed otherwise.

Fifteen minutes later of top-speed running following his nose, he comes across a couple of dead walkers. There are a couple of broken makeshift arrows going through their heads. He sniffs. A slow smirk forming. While the scent is not the same as the stuffed doll Sophia still carries around had, it smells similar to the blankets they found on top of the car. The stuff Sophia's group left for her was full of different scents and he memorized all in case he could find some to interrogate about Sophia's mother.

 _What were the odds?_ He asks himself as he walks the last steps to where the sounds of grunts and moaning is coming from. _I've found the group._

Or part of them at least. They're across a fence that surrounds what looks like a small town. There are only a few he can see, but he senses more inside. He recognizes their smell too, slightly tangy because of the sweat and lack of proper cleaning, but strong in the way the trail he found weeks ago on that car wasn't.

Kurama smiles, because now it's not only empty hopes he can give. The place is big and more like a fortress than he assumed from the Uchiha's words.

He can work with that.

Kurama turns around and leaves the place.

* * *

It doesn't matter how many missions he's had in which he had to travel for long distances, surviving with little food and water; always following a routine and fitting certain roles. It doesn't matter how being outside, walking or running, has become more of a second nature to him. Because, it doesn't matter how much time passes, he doesn't think he'd ever think less gloriously of that first shower after spending so long without them. Seeing all the grime pooling on the tiles that is always there on his body even when one tries so hard to be clean among nature. Dry skin being thoroughly scratched until it turns red and healthier feels like paradise. Trading fingers across clean, soft hair makes an exhale of pure bliss leave his lips.

Showers are glorious.

He doesn't stop the content hum echoing the small room that leaves him. Everyone is awake so he's not worried of waking anyone up like he was yesterday night with Clementine being the first to shower and the first to fall asleep. Michonne was the last, though it took some convincing from their part. By the time it was Naruto's turn, Andrea and Clem were already enjoying the bed. Naruto knew how he got while showering after a long absence of it, so with a resigned sigh and a curse at how close the bathroom was to the room, he took the floor to sleep on.

Now though, with being able to clean himself properly, Naruto can let some of the weight he's been carrying fall from his shoulders. A weight he hasn't known was still there. Although… how long has it been since he last showered? A day before he went to fight fourth shinobi war? A week before all the whole ordeal blew up on their faces? How long has he been running from one mission to another; worry after worry?

The war has only lasted close to a month, but they barely had tents to sleep at night, showering was nigh impossible. A quick water technique was enough to clean the sweat from the body as to not alert the enemy of their presence even if they hadn't know exactly if the white zetsu or the Edo Tensei shinobi were able to smell them. A month, then? That doesn't sound right though. It's been longer. So much longer since he returned home. Practically months in which fighting, running and just plain surviving had been his only thoughts. Then he's came to this world and had to worry about how to return home while trying to ignore the loneliness of his situation. Luckily, he's met new people to befriend and while, he worries constantly about their safety, teaching them whatever can be used of help is not so hard. Especially while he's also able of learning everything he can about this new world he finds himself in.

It's not been hard to him, though he admits keeping watch at nights while leaving them to rest more hasn't been of good to his health. But he can't whine about it; he's the one bursting with energy, after all. He can easily survive with only four hours of sleep a day, unlike them. They're strong, he doesn't deny it, but they're still civilians and he's a shinobi. His job is full of danger and used to this kind of things. And although being a shinobi makes one used to certain things that are so far from the level of normality is not even funny, it's also the same mindset that takes as important things others ignore while classifying as weird or unimportant things most wouldn't.

Like enjoying a simple shower for the wonderful experience that it is.

The water is cold like the room, but as he lets his forehead rest against the wet tiles and breathes in, he can feel some peace flowing through him. The energy of nature around him easily accepts his half-assed meditation attempt and welcomes him as one of his own. His mind is clear of concerns for the first time in a long and he can feel some type of closure is happening. One he hasn't realized he needed to do.

Kaguya is sealed alongside Zetsu. The Nine Tailed Beasts are free. Madara is gone, too. The Edo Tensei are free to return to their rest.

The war in his world is over.

Yes, the war is over, he accepted this long ago, but for some reason it now feels more real. This changes of atmosphere makes it clear for some reason. And while there were a great number of injured, even with all he did to help them by shrouding them with Kurama's chakra, he's not really anxious to search for a solution to return to the Elemental Nations. Not really. It doesn't mean he won't do his best to return—because he will.

Yet… he can find into himself to be worried because, well, his friends are there. He's concerned about their safety, of course, but he trusts them to be fine and do well.

And isn't that the wonderful thing about friendship?

He doesn't know how it works in this world but he's sure that the bond one forms while fighting is one of the strongest. Because believing in the strength of others to watch one's back takes a great deal of trust. And he trusts a lot of people in his own world. In the same way they trusted their future to him, he trusts them to build something from the ruins of the war.

"The war is over," he repeats again, this time out loud in a whisper, a couple drops falling inside his mouth. There's a sob forming in his throat, but it doesn't feel like sorrow. Being clean just feels really nice. He's a shinobi and while is an unspoken rule to enjoy always the simple things, that particular notion has always been true to him. He remembers being in a small cubicle, cold water similar to the one he's showering with, falling on his body. He remembers a small bar of soap being left for him to use and remembers all the times spend trying to learn how to use it to clean himself. All the times he took advantage of the water to silently cry while the other kids showered in the stalls far from his own.

He remembers the first time showering in his apartment and feeling the unfamiliar warm water.

But he's a jinchuriki; he's never had the option of being normal unlike others. That's maybe why he never questioned why children had to start so young in their lessons to be a ninja like some civilians do, because he understands that to be a shinobi one must have a special mindset, because being a shinobi is a lifestyle. Shinobi's life is a dangerous thing, but it's his lifestyle. And being in this strange world makes him miss it. He misses the weird quirks every shinobi has, misses the adrenaline that killing a walker doesn't give. He misses letting his hotheaded temper shine through without receiving looks of surprised fright. He even misses how easy is for bickers to turn into something that would look violent and totally unsafe, but are only friendly spars.

He misses his friends. The ones he made in Konoha and the ones he made while fighting the war. He knows he gives his trust too quickly and easily but he can't feel bad about it; Naruto consider them all his family. Everyone deserves to be given trust. Everyone deserves to not be lonely. Everyone deserves to be loved and if he's the only one to give it completely, then he will. He made a promise to return and see what they've made and he wants to show what he's learnt. And he knows his family, the one he made for himself, will wait for him, because he's sure they will believe in him to do it in the same way he believes on them.

A smile blooms on his face. Excitement and longing twirls inside of him. He stands upright, a not so quiet 'Believe it!' leaving his lungs. He shuts the water off with a laugh in time to hear Clementine calling his name. He cleans some of the tears that's formed with the back of his hand and grabs the towel.

"What's up?" he says as soon as he opens the door. Clementine startles but recovers quickly. She's holding his jacket.

"Your clothes," she says, her eyes dubiously glancing at his naked chest. "You won't try to wear them like Michonne, right?"

Naruto doesn't bother to glancing at the dark skinned woman sitting on one of the beds. He knows she only used the clothes the governor gave them to sleep just because Andrea washed hers as soon she entered the shower. It's not totally dry but she's stubborn enough to wear them. Naruto only hopes she doesn't get sick.

"Don't worry, Clem. I'm not like Mich here." He receives a grunt but he ignores it; his attention is on the clothes on Clementine's hands. His shirt is dry unlike the rest, but his jacket is dry enough. So he puts them on before returning to the bathroom for the underwear and jeans one of the soldiers gave him.

"We'll be going," Michonne says as soon as Naruto steps out of the bathroom for the second time.

Andrea rolls her eyes. "The governor said they would return our stuff after we left."

"Are we leaving or not?"

"Oi! Wait for me! Clem, stop Michonne. I want breakfast, too, damnit." Naruto secures the tags with all his shuriken and kunai firmly on his wrists before he follows Andrea, and Clementine Michonne outside, a guard trailing back.

"This is…" Andrea trails off as soon as someone opened the door for them. Naruto is still too far behind to make out what she's seeing but he doesn't need to ask Andrea about her awed tone; Naruto has been able to feel the energy signatures around him when he showered, after all.

"… I've never seen so many people," she whispers, Clementine silently nodding next to her. Michonne doesn't say anything, but Naruto can sense she's anxious.

Andrea goes to the closest person, a woman that soon introduces herself as Chloe, and asks about the place. She's nice enough to answer and even follows them to the building the governor told them go, but Naruto can easily know why she's done so. He can feel the eyes of the people surrounding them on him—their curiosity. It makes him wonder how the gossip works in Woodbury for them to already know he's Sasuke's friend.

It also makes him wonder what kind of impression Sasuke's made because they seem honestly baffled with the honest smiles and friendly waves he gives to everyone. Naruto huffs, tilting his head to the side to see the two small figures approaching to their position. Three seconds later, two girls appear around the corner of a house, one clearly dragging along the other.

Naruto slows his pace. Nodding at the two girl's direction when Michonne looks at him.

"Hi, my name's Naruto," he says when they're close. One's clearly more interested to see him than the other one.

"Are you really Uchiha's friend?" the older one asks ignoring the exasperated 'Lizzie!' coming from the other one. The smallest one turns to him. "I'm sorry, Lizzie's just curious."

"No problem. I approve of enthusiasm. I'm all for it." He nods sagely at them and grins. "So, she's Lizzie, what about you?"

The girl tilts her head slightly down. "My name's Mika."

Lizzie let's Mika's arm go and steps closer, her brows furrowing close as she inspects him. Naruto tilts his head to the side and lets her. The girl is curious, he can sense that, but there's something unique about her emotions. They're kind of muted and dull, apathetic. It reminds him of Sasuke somewhat. His former teammate also feels like that when there's nothing to raise the torrent of emotions that sometimes floods from him.

It hurts when he sees it. And it must hurt Sasuke, too. To have that storm of feelings, mostly negative, raising into something uncontrollable and wild—controlling his actions and making him into something that's not entirely him. Having to feel all that when his normal day to day spectrum is muted must be truly awful.

Naruto wonders if this girl is like that, too. Does she know how to distinguish her own emotions? Has she felt truly happiness or sadness? Does she even know what they are? Has her emotions piqued into something far away from her control, making her question what's wrong with her?

He remembers crying while not knowing why. Remembers touching his tears, asking himself if that's what sadness felt like. But he used to always feel that void inside him, like hunger but not quite; like an itch he couldn't scratch to relieve himself. Growing and growing until it was more like desperation. The kind that makes one want to scream and not stop. But muted. As if the energy to do it wasn't entirely there.

That was before though. Now he grins at Lizzie and lets her inspect him, Mika practically oozing exasperation and secondhand embarrassment at her side. Her eyes linger on the empty pouch tied on his leg and the necklace he wears before she meets again his gaze.

"So, are you really friends?"

Naruto's head throws back as he laughs, his whole body shaking with amusement. Mika's face is _gold_.

It takes five whole seconds to calm himself. He nods, his grin perhaps a little too wide. It does nothing to Lizzie but it seems to make Mika relax. "Yeah, we are. The bastard will most likely deny it until he's blue but we go way back." He chuckles a bit. "You actually remind me of him."

That does seem to get a spike of emotion from her: surprise.

"Really?" Mika asks, her voice full of disbelief.

Naruto can feel the attention of the people around them. Chloe turns slightly to hear better and even their guard seems to pay attention.

He _really_ wants to know what kind of impression Sasuke has made. It probably isn't pretty.

He ignores them all and shrugs. "Not in the way you think of. Sasuke was an ass even when we were kids. Probably more of an ass. Now he's most likely to ignore everyone so his bastardness isn't shown as much."

"And _I_ remind you of him?"

He frowns. He shouldn't speak about his abilities with all these people around already suspicious of him. They're guarded and distrustful, some even downright spiteful, but it's obvious Sasuke already made a reputation. Naruto has his friends to think of, too. Wariness isn't so bad in a healthy dose.

"I said not in the way you think of," he says with a light tap on her scrunched nose. "Your emotions are similar look. Oi, don't put that face. I mean, for example, one's curiosity is kind of yellowish. Bright yellowish. But yours and Sasuke's are, uh, a whiter yellow? Like a really, really soft yellow."

It's clear on her face she doesn't understand.

"Gah! Why I'm so bad at explaining things?!" In one fluid movement, he sits down with his legs crossed in front of the two girl. He shows her his right hand and lights his fingers with Kurama's chakra. The girl takes a light step back, but his rambling comes to fast for any panic to settle. "Okay, look. I can sense other's people emotions. Curiosity is this color. Kind of. It changes with other emotions." He makes the light go softer until it's almost white. The fire-like look turns into something more like water. It's actually hard to do it with his current control, but, well. "See how it's now? That's how yours looks like. More like water than fire. Sasuke's kinda of like that, too."

He puts the chakra away, but Lizzie's gaze is still fixed on his hand. As is Mika's, though she quickly looks up at him. "You can see people's emotions?"

"Uh, not exactly?" Naruto crosses his arms and tilt his head from one side to the other. Michonne, Andrea and Clementine had asked him about it, but they mostly shrugged it off as one his especial quirks. He couldn't explained it then and he can't explain it now, but he is more of an action type of guy anyways. He lifts both of his palms up. "I can show you."

Naruto has practiced with that sharing emotions thing to know he can expand it to not only the mark the Sage left him, which doesn't seem to be able to turn off so his mark is always giving his emotions away, but to both of his hands too. Something tells him he might be able to do it with his whole body without needing to turn into Bijuu mode. He doesn't think it would help him on fights but maybe that was what the Old Gramps Sage wanted to achieve by sharing chakra with all. He remembers he said something about connecting with others.

Ninshu, was it?

Lizzie smiles, instantly taking the hand that lit with chakra between her fingers, seemingly not caring of Mika trying to pull her arm away. She gasps when their skin meets and her grip tightens.

Naruto feels the already tense atmosphere thicken, though there isn't as much surprise as he's thought it would be. It's more like they were already expecting him to pull something weird. It's not reassuring.

"What's that?" she asks, something like wonder in her tone.

He ignores everyone, a small laugh escaping past his lips as he leans closer. "That's happiness."

She uses both hands. One to hold his and the other to poke his skin. The curiosity is there again, but there's something like incredulity, too. "Really?"

"Well, that's how _my_ happiness feels like. Andrea's like a pleasant buzz and Clem's more like tickles. Everyone's feels a little different so it's hard to explain. You should sense Michonne's anger! It's all cold and terrifying, like being suddenly splashed with snow. Hard snow." He turns his head to see a scowling Michonne and gives her a nervous thumb up. "But she's really awesome!"

Lizzie's still playing with his hand. This time Mika's even approaching a poking at his other one. "It's warm," she murmurs with a smile.

"How do I feel, then?"

He blinks at Lizzie. "Uh, softer I guess? You probably feel everything that way, too. Kind of distant like? Dunno about you but Sasuke's happiness feels kind of the flame of a candle? Not enough to warm but enough to light some place. With a smug undertone, of course. He wouldn't be him without it."

Lizzie hums in agreement, as if she understands what he's trying to say even if he really, really sucks at explaining. Though she probably does as he catches something like insecurity in her. It's feeble, like her emotions and easily to shrug off as indifference, but it's there. He probably wouldn't have recognized for what it is without the time he has around Sai and Sasuke. It's mixed with curiosity and longing as she continues to touch his hand.

"What's that?"

"It's nostalgia, I think. I told you, didn't I? You remind me of Sasuke. And another friend of mine, too. He was also an ass. Loyal and very brave, but still an utter ass."

"So you _really_ are friends."

Naruto gives Mika a look. "Okay, seriously, what has that bastard done? Has he been an ass to you? Just tell me and I'll kick that stick shoved up where the sun doesn't—"

"Naruto!"

He turns to Andrea and sticks his tongue out, but he stands. Mika lets him go, but Lizzie takes his hand as soon as she can and doesn't let go.

"He hasn't done anything to us, but we usually help Rowan to pass the water."

"Pass the water?"

"After the classes are done," Mika adds with a cheeky smile. "The grown ups can barely walk."

He laughs and pats her head, once again ignoring the fact that most people are trying to subtly follow. Chloe isn't even bothering to talk.

"I can't picture you two hugging," Lizzie says from nowhere, frowning.

Naruto blinks. "What?"

"Well, you will see each other again, right? Don't you hug?"

"I kinda like my limbs where they are, thank you."

"Aren't you friends?" Lizzie looks at him like he's weird. "What will you do then?"

"Dunno? Hopefully he won't try to kill me. Though now that I think about it, most of our meetings go with him trying to kill me while I try to knock some sense on him. It always end in destruction. But, who knows? Maybe this time we won't need a doctor."

Andrea chuckles. "You should hug him then. That will surprise him."

"And kill me, too." He huffs, looking away from her with his nose up. "You won't bandage me later, so."

"I will, then," Clementine says. "If you're friends then you should show it. You haven't seen in so long, right?"

It's obvious he hasn't been able to really show Sasuke's personality through the stories he has told them. But, they've a point. It'd be pretty funny. Picturing Sasuke's face at telling him what he'll try to do makes him laugh, the real thing would be better.

"Okay then. I'll do it. I'll hug the lights out of Sasuke!" He smirks, giving a nice guy pose with his free hand. He then suddenly turns to Clementine. "But you'll bandage me, right?"

The giggles of the girls around him makes worth his possible death and lightens the tense atmosphere of those around him as they walk to the governor's house. It certainly makes the path shorter.

With a promise to see Lizzie and Mika when Sasuke's class starts, he waves at the ones that followed them. They have the decency to look sheepish.

"Wish me luck!" he shouts before entering the building. He can sense some amusement in the people around him.

He greets the governor with a smile. Andrea and Clementine following suit, while Michonne's barely graces him with a glance. She's more concentrated in looking to their surroundings, or maybe her sword. There's no many people, after all. There's a man wearing glasses that looks nervous and slightly afraid around his person who the governor introduces as Milton. The woman called Rowan in one corner is more curious of him, in a positive way he wants to think. She probably spends more a lot time around Sasuke. The other, and last, is also a man called Shumpert standing on the corner opposite to the woman's.

After introductions are done, they sit. The two guards, Shumpert and Rowan, remain standing as the governor places plates with fried eggs in front of them. He's talking about something, but Naruto's not paying attention. He's looking at wall he knows obscures his view to the entrance they came from their first time here.

"Naruto?" Clementine asks. It's then when Naruto realizes he's standing. He quickly takes off his jacket and tightens his Konoha headband.

"Sasuke's here," he finally answers.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Another thing before I forget. I've been told that the next chapter is slightly... gay. Not to be offensive or anything! I know that there are probably better words to describe the next chapter's scenes between Sasuke and Naruto, but the only word that comes to mind is 'mawkish' or 'schmaltzy'and not everyone knows it. So yeah, mawkish is a perfect word, because apparently trying to do the Talk-no-Jutsu without fighting comes out pretty mawkish looking.  
> Because of that, it comes out my next question: now that the outline is practically a newborn, does anyone has any pairings in mind? I wanted to make this story gen, but Sasuke and Naruto's weird mawkish bromance gave me the idea to give some space for romance in this story-maybe some romantic interest between new and old characters will be good? It won't ocupy all the story, of course but hey, give me good reasons and I can see if I can add it.  
> Naruto and Sasuke will remain bros. Their relationship is kind of gay, but the best friendships are. Though, who knows? My story likes to surprise me.  
> And this author note has grown too much. So, bye!

**Author's Note:**

> Just to let you know, how Naruto is already a developed character thanks to the manga/anime/etc he won't appear until later. So! I'll use the first chapters to do the same with Sasuke and Kurama. That means it'll take a while before seeing a chapter focused on his POV (though that doesn't mean there are going to be some drabbles about what's going on with him in the future).  
> PS. English isn't my first language so if you see any noticeable grammar error, please let me know.


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